Northern bush honeysuckle

Diervilla lonicera

  • About

    Grows best in part sun to shade in medium-dry to dry soils.

    Dark-green leaves change from yellow to red in autumn. Small, bell-shaped flowers are yellow-green at first, becoming orange or purplish-red. - Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

    Grows up to 3’ in height and blooms in June, July and August.

  • Ecological importance

    The leaves are hosts for the caterpillars of theHummingbird (or Snowberry) Clearwing moth Hemaris diffinis.

    The classic Honeysuckle flower is a favorite of bees.

    - Prairie Moon Nursery

  • Why Courtney loves it

    This is the ideal plant to fill in woodland edges after the removal of invasive species. It can spread rather aggressively by rhizomes - so not ideal for the garden - but at the farm we have lots of Morrow’s honeysuckle and black swallowwort we are working to remove. I just love when the Dwarf bush honeysuckle moves it’s way into the gap left by an invasive we have pulled.

Low shrub - native to Maine