Northern Bush Honeysuckle
Diervilla lonicera
Also listed as Diervilla diervilla, Diervilla acadiensis
Also known as Bush-honeysuckle
Climate Match for your location
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A low-growing deciduous shrub with small yellow or orange tubular flowers and attractive burgundy fall foliage. Native to northeastern North America, it thrives in dry conditions and requires minimal maintenance.
Why grow it
Northern bush honeysuckle offers early-season interest with modest yellow flowers appearing before many competing shrubs leaf out fully. Unlike taller ornamental honeysuckles, its low, spreading habit makes it useful for stabilizing slopes or filling understory gaps without requiring pruning to manage size. It tolerates poor, dry soils where many shrubs struggle, reducing supplemental watering needs once established.
Watch out for
Plants may take several seasons to fill in and display their characteristic form, so patience during establishment is warranted. In rich, consistently moist soils, growth can become leggy or looser than in its preferred drier sites. Occasional renewal pruning after flowering can improve density, though the plant generally requires little intervention.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A low-growing deciduous shrub with small yellow or orange tubular flowers and attractive burgundy fall foliage. Native to northeastern North America, it thrives in dry conditions and requires minimal maintenance.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Northern Bush Honeysuckle grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Northern bush honeysuckle offers early-season interest with modest yellow flowers appearing before many competing shrubs leaf out fully. Unlike taller ornamental honeysuckles, its low, spreading habit makes it useful for stabilizing slopes or filling understory gaps without requiring pruning to manage size. It tolerates poor, dry soils where many shrubs struggle, reducing supplemental watering needs once established.
Watch out for
Plants may take several seasons to fill in and display their characteristic form, so patience during establishment is warranted. In rich, consistently moist soils, growth can become leggy or looser than in its preferred drier sites. Occasional renewal pruning after flowering can improve density, though the plant generally requires little intervention.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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