Landscape Ideas from Me

Bush Honeysuckle

Diervilla

A genus of 3 species of suckering, deciduous shrubs related to Weigela and Honeysuckle, that are native to North America. They are used both in landscaping ( esp. commerical sites ) and soil stabilization projects.
The small, yellow flowers attract hummingbirds.
Bush Honeysuckles prefer full sun to partial shade on just about any fertile, well drained soil.
Cut back hard in very early spring to encourage vigorous fresh new growth.
Bush Honeysuckles are not often bothered by pests or disease.
Propagation is best from cuttings.

Diervilla lonicera ( Northern Bush Honeysuckle )
A lowish suckering shrub, reaching around 3 feet in height, that is native to North America ( eastern Saskatchewan to Newfoundland; south to Iowa to southern Illinois to the Carolinas. Some records include: 4 years - x 6.5 feet; 5 years - 5 x 9 feet. It is excellent as a tall groundcover plantings, esp. commercial sites. It can colonize invasively on ideal sites.
The leaves are up to 6 inches in length.
The foliage is glossy bronze-green, turning to scarlet-red during autumn.
The pale-yellow, honeysuckle-like flowers are borne during mid summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in sun or shade. Extremely hardy, thriving even in Alberta. Very drought tolerant.
Not prone to pests or disease.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photos taken on August 1 2011 in Luzerne Co., PA











* photos taken on Aug 3 2012 in London, ON

Copper
New foliage is reddish before turning to green. The new growth continues all summer long. It is otherwise nearly identical.

* photos taken on July 30 2013 in Grand Bend, Ontario


Diervilla rivularis ( Georgia Bush Honeysuckle )
A fast growing, spreading, deciduous shrub that is similar to D. sessilifolia, reaching a maximum height of 10 feet. It is native to the Smoky Mountains ( eastern Tennessee to western North Carolina; south to northern Alabama to far northwest Georgia )
It is endangered in the wild.
The very attractive, glossy deep green foliage turns to yellow and red during autumn.
The bright yellow flowers are borne on dense termimal panicles all summer long.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on just about any well drained soil. It is tolerant of dry shade.

* photos taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.



Troja Black
Reaches up to 4 x 5 feet, possibly more.
The foliage is brownish-red, contrasting nicely with the yellow-orange flowers. The foliage is very deep bronze at first and turns intense scarlet-red during autumn.
Hardy zones 4 to 8

Diervilla sessilifolia ( Southern Bush Honeysuckle )
A fast growing, rhizomatous, suckering shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 7 ( typically 4 to 5 ) feet, that is native to the Smoky Mountains ( from Tennessee to West Virginia to northwestern Virginia; south to northern Alabama to South Carolina ). It is threatened with extinction in Tennessee and wild populations in VA & WV have disappeared. It makes a great plant for roadside embankments and parking lot plantings.
The leaves are up to 7 x 3 inches. The foliage is bronze-purple at first, turning to glossy deep green with reddish veins. The nearly square stems are also red. The leaves turn entirely scarlet-red to red-purple during autumn.
The yellow flowers are borne on clusters of 3 to 7 ( rarely more than 3 on the similar D. lonicera ). Hardy zones 3 to 8 in full sun to partial shade. It is tolerant of dry shade, salt and urban conditions. Older plants can be cut back to ground during late winter to renovate.

* photos taken by Mark A. Garland @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


Butterfly
Reaches up to 4 feet, with clean deep green foliage, that turns purple during autumn.
The flowers, borne on 3 inch wide clusters, are glowing bright yellow. The flowers are magnets for butterflies.

Cool Splash
Reaches up to 4 x 4 ( averaging 3 ) feet, with luxuriant green foliage variegated with a bold white edge. The foliage is healthy, clean and disease free.
A very beautiful plant that should be much more widely used. Fast growing, it forms a nice 1 gallon size plant around 1.7 x 1.7 feet in just a year.
The sulfur-yellow flowers are borne in pairs during summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8. Propagation is easy from sowing seed directly, no pretreatment needed. Softwood cuttings taken during early summer also root fairly easily.

* photo taken on Aug 30 2012 in Columbia, MD
* video found on Youtube