Northern Bush Honeysuckle: A Bronze-Foliaged Shrub for Sun or Shade

Bronze foliage glowing in the nursery sun caught my eye. Fragrant yellow tubular blooms and deer resistance sealed the deal. The surprise? I already had one under a Douglas fir — shade-dulled foliage, but still blooming prolifically (just later). This gently mounding shrub delivers months of color and pollinator habitat in borders or woodlands.

Le jardinet

Le jardinet

Quick Facts

• Botanical name: Diervilla lonicera
• Common names: Bush honeysuckle, Northern bush honeysuckle, low/dwarf bush honeysuckle
• Native range: NE U.S. + Canada; naturalized in France
• Hardiness: -40°F (USDA zones 3–8)
• Water: Low but adaptable
• Light: Full sun or partial shade
• Size: 3 ft tall and wide

Benefits & Tolerances

• Drought tolerant
• Moderately deer resistant
• Attracts butterflies, bees, birds (bluebirds, hummingbirds)
• Erosion control on slopes (spreads by underground stems)
• Fire-adapted: regenerates quickly from underground stems
• Winter moose food (where relevant)
• Adapts to sun/shade, poor/rocky soil

Distinguishing Traits

• Fragrant summer flowers
• Bronze-green foliage, luminous spring–fall
• Striking red fall color
• Exfoliating bark reveals inner orange
• Low maintenance
• Fast-growing — fills gaps in established gardens

Le jardinet

Design Uses

• Sunny mixed border with drought-tolerant shrubs/grasses/perennials
• Woodland garden with Japanese maples, ferns, hostas
• Dry shade under trees (e.g., with Western sword fern + creeping Oregon grape)
• Slopes for erosion control

Le jardinet

Le jardinet

Planting Notes

Well-drained, average soil. Spreads by underground stems — good for dry slopes. May be aggressive in ideal conditions (not observed in my garden).

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