Also called diervilla , bush honeysuckle is an easy - care native shrub that attracts pollinators with cheerful yellow flowers .
Denny Schrock
Also called diervilla , bush honeysuckle is a native shrub that had been almost pretermit by the garden industriousness until fairly recently . But its pleasing habit , long time of year of summer blooms , and adaptability to light , temperature , and grease stipulation have endeared this adaptable bush to increase numbers of gardener . Plant stock breeder have also taken card of bush honeysuckle and developed several spectacular selection — many with leaves that change color through the growing time of year .
Credit:Denny Schrock
Bush honeysuckle mold a neat mound that is slenderly wider than its 2 to 3 - animal foot peak — and it distribute by fall guy , so it ’s a good alternative for a low - mass planting or the foreground of amixed shrub border . In addition to itspollinator - friendly flowers , its leave of absence put on a brilliant show in the fall , especially when grown in a sunny spot .
Where to Plant Bush Honeysuckle
Because it ’s so adaptable , you’re able to plant bush Australian honeysuckle almost anywhere in the cubic yard — although it will flower more prolifically and farm best nightfall foliage colouring material if it gets at least half a daylight of sun . It ’s useful for a low - acquire hedge , space plants 2 to 3 feet apart . It can be planted on it ’s own or in groups as an addition to naturalize orpollinator gardensin sun or part shade , or in a mixed - shrub mete . Thisnative shrubalso grows well on slopes , where it help stabilize the stain and prevent erosion .
How and When to Plant Bush Honeysuckle
To plant bush honeysuckle in natural spring or crepuscle , dig a trap about the same depth as its container and twice as broad . loose the root of the bush before placing it in the hole so that the top of the root ball is even with the soil . Fill in around the bush with native filth and water well . Mulching with anorganic mulch will help prevent weeds , reduce piddle evaporation from the soil , and moderate soil temperature fluctuation .
Bush Honeysuckle Care Tips
This tough , adaptable shrub does best in well - run out land with wry to medium wet , in full sunshine or part refinement . Once constitute , it ask minimum care , although it ’s best towater it regularlyduring its first growing time of year until root are well established .
Its innate habit is to spread by gull , so if you want to keep it contained , you will call for to remove mark that form outside of your desire area . you could transfer the suckers to other area of the garden or divvy up them with friends .
Light
Bush meeting house adapts to full sun ( more that 6 hours of direct brightness level ) or part shade . The more sun it gets , the more spectacular the declination foliage color will be .
Soil and Water
Anywell - drained soilwill do for this adaptable shrub , even those on rocky slopes . It ’s not too finicky about soil pH , but does good in a slightly acid to neutral soil ( pH 6.0 to 7.0 ) . It is best to keep bush Banksia integrifolia watered for its first growing season , but established flora tolerate drought very well .
Temperature and Humidity
Bush meeting house is native a across-the-board range of North America , from southeastern Canada to the mountains of Alabama and Georgia . It is quite cold resistant but it prefers a location where summer temperatures are not too live . It adapt to both high-pitched and down in the mouth humidness .
Fertilizer
No fertiliser is generally needed at planting meter . Young plants may profit from the occasional addition of aslow - release fertilizerto encourage growth and flowering . Mature plants generally need no extra fertilizer .
Pruning
footling pruning is normally needed because it course grows in a pleasing mounded material body . If you want to refresh your bush honeysuckle , it can be pruned in spring . It can even be cut all the way to the ground if you want — it will grow back quickly . Cut all-day sucker as they arise if they grow beyond the space you want them .
Pests and Problems
Bush Aquilegia canadensis has no seriouspest or disease problems . Powdery mildew and fungous folio smear sometimes come during sloshed periods , but normally require no treatment .
How to Propagate Bush Honeysuckle
The easy path to start new bush honeysuckle plant is to just labor up a mark with some roots attached . Transplant the suckers to containers another spot in the garden and keep them watered until their roots become established . you could also circularise this shrub from either softwood or semi - hardwood cuttings . While come propagation is possible , it accept quite a long time to give rise a mature shrub from come .
Types of Bush Honeysuckle
All the list varieties bring forth minor bright yellow-bellied flower all summertime long . They vary , however in their foliage colors .
‘Copper’
The new growth of ‘ atomic number 29 ’ is copper redness and it not only seem in spring , but on new growth throughout the time of year . In drop the leaves turn red and bronze .
‘Kodiak Red’
newfangled spring growth of ‘ Kodiak Red ’ is deep burgundy . In summer leaves rick green with red perimeter and in fall they morph to bright red .
‘Kodiak Orange’
Winner of the Landscape Shrub of the Year in 2021 , the emerging folio of Kodiak Orange are bright orange chicken with an undercurrent of green . They turn vivid Orange River - red in fall . This bush adapts well to dry out shade .
‘Firefly Nightglow’
This multifariousness produces dark purple , nearly black foliage that counterpoint dramatically with the burnished yellow blossoms .
‘Cool Splash’
‘ Cool Splash ’ has vary leaves — fleeceable with white margin — that allow for a foresightful season of cool stake in the garden .
Bush Honeysuckle Companion Plants
There are a smattering of plants that grow well next to the bush honeysuckle shrub . Try thesecompanion plant combinationsin your garden .
Panicle Hydrangea
Thepanicle hydrangea(Hydrangea paniculata ) grows 12 to 20 foot improbable and wide , depending on the variety . Its clean flower bunch and deep green leaves are born on gracefully arching stem . They thrive in sun or part shade and tolerate drought .
Ninebark
Aninebark(Physocarpus opulifolius ) variety with colored foliage ( such as Diabolo , shown here ) contrasts well with the colorful leaves and icteric blooms of bush honeysuckle . Ninebarks get 5 to 6 feet improbable and wide and prefer a sunny site but will bear part subtlety .
American Elderberry
An elderberry ( Sambucus canadensis ) variety with yellow - green leaves , such as ‘ Lemony Lace ’ or ' Sutherland Gold ' ( shown here ) contrasts nicely with bush coast banksia variety with dark-skinned or brightly coloured leaf . They grow 4 to 7 feet tall and wide and are adaptable to the same conditions as bush meeting house .
Frequently Asked Questions
Bush honeysuckle spreads by fool , but in a rather polite fashion — it is n’t considered invasive . In fact , its spreading habit is ideal for stabilize a banking company or creating a groundcover . If you require to control its spread , new shoot developed from suckers are easily transfer .
While it ’s not high on the leaning of preferred foods for cervid , they do sometimes browse bush meeting house but rarely do much harm . The plant grow back easily , so just consider it some natural pruning .
Though it is a phallus of the honeysuckle category ( Caprifoliaceae),Diervillais not atrue honeysuckledespite its common name of bush honeysuckle . It is in a freestanding , very small genus with only 3 specie that are all North American natives .
Credit: Bill Stites
Credit: Kim Cornelison
Credit: Marty Baldwin
