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Diervilla × splendens

bush honeysuckle

Caprifoliaceae Eastern North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 4–8

Overview

Diervilla x splendens is a deciduous spreading shrub reaching 3-5 feet (90-150 cm) tall and 4-6 feet (120-180 cm) wide, formed from natural and garden hybridization between D. lonicera and D. sessilifolia. Foliage opposite, lance-shaped to ovate, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, emerging copper-red in spring, maturing to deep green in summer, and turning red-bronze in fall. Flowers tubular, sulfur-yellow, 0.5-0.75 inch (1-2 cm) long, in terminal and axillary clusters of 3-7. Bloom continues from late spring through summer (June-August in zones 4-7), with sporadic flowering on new growth into early fall. Spreads slowly by stoloniferous suckers 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) per season; over 8-10 years can form colonies 8-15 feet (2.4-4.5 m) wide. Hardy to USDA zone 4. Lifespan 15-25 years. Tolerates dry shade, slope sites, and rocky soils where many shrubs decline.

Native Range

Both parent species are native to North America: D. lonicera from Newfoundland west to Saskatchewan and south to Georgia, in dry rocky woods and slopes; D. sessilifolia from the southern Appalachians of Tennessee and North Carolina. The hybrid D. x splendens occurs naturally where the parental ranges overlap and is also raised commercially.

Suggested Uses

Used on slopes for erosion control, in mixed shrub borders, and along woodland edges at 4-6 foot (1.2-1.8 m) spacing. Common in commercial and roadside plantings for tolerance of dry shade and poor soils. Suited to native plant landscapes in eastern North America; supports native bee species more strongly than non-native Lonicera spp..

How to Identify

Distinguished from true Lonicera spp. (honeysuckles) by the opposite, sessile to short-stalked leaves and by 5-merous (rather than 5- or 6-merous bilabiate) yellow flowers. Distinguished from the parent species by intermediate leaf shape and a more vigorous suckering habit. New growth shows copper to bronze coloration through spring and reddens again with autumn cooling.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 5'

Width/Spread4' - 6'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

red

Fall Foliage Colors

red

bronze

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~10 weeks

Spring Summer

Late spring through summer (June-August in zones 4-7). Individual flower clusters hold 2-3 weeks; sporadic bloom continues on new growth through August and into September in cool climates. Total bloom period 6-10 weeks.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

copper-red emerging, deep green in summer, red-bronze in fall

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 3-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-4 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grown in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil; tolerates clay, sand, and rocky soils. Soil pH 5.5-7.5 suits the genus. Water weekly during the first growing season; established plants tolerate 3-4 weeks without rain on slope sites. Hardy to USDA zone 4 (-30°F / -34°C). Pest and disease pressure is light; aphids occasionally feed on new growth in spring without lasting damage. Suckering spread can crowd nearby plantings over 5-10 years; root barriers or mowed margins limit spread.

Pruning

Cut stems back by one-third in late winter or early spring (March-April) to renew growth and encourage branching. Bloom occurs on current-season wood, so spring pruning does not reduce flowering. Remove suckers as they emerge to control spread. Hard rejuvenation cuts to 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) above ground every 5-7 years restore vigor in declining colonies.

Pruning Schedule

early spring