Northern bush honeysuckle
Diervilla lonicera
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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.
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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.
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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.