Overview
Uses: Borders, mass plantings, slopes, low hedges, native gardens, and pollinator gardens.
Benefits: Deep purple-black leaves from spring to fall, set off by bright yellow summer flowers that bees and hummingbirds visit. A dark-foliage shrub from a native genus, rated to Zone 3.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–8
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Mounding, Spreading — dense and suckering.
Bloom Color: Bright Yellow
Foliage Color: Deep Purple
Mature Height: 3–4 feet
Mature Width: 3–4 feet
Bloom Season: Summer
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
Black foliage on a shrub that grows where the tough natives grow.
Kodiak Jet Black® is the first black-leaved bush honeysuckle that holds its color all season. Leaves emerge a deep purple-black in spring and stay that way through summer, a dark backdrop that makes silver, gold, and bright green plants around it stand out.
In summer, clusters of small, tubular yellow flowers open at the tips of the stems. Against the dark leaves they show from across the garden, and bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds work them through the bloom period.
The plant forms a mound about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide and slowly widens by suckers into a dense patch. That makes it useful for covering a bank, filling a border, or massing along a property line. It takes dry, lean soil once established, and its native parentage makes it a fit for native and wildlife plantings.
Care
Kodiak Jet Black® Bush Honeysuckle Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. The darkest leaf color comes with more sun; in heavier shade the foliage turns greener.
Bush honeysuckle is adaptable about soil, including rocky, sandy, and dry ground. Good drainage suits it best; avoid sites that stay soggy.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. Established plants handle dry spells well.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in early spring is plenty.
It flowers on new growth, so any pruning is done in early spring before the leaves come out. Every three to five years, cut it back hard to renew the plant and bring on a fresh flush of dark leaves. Clip or dig suckers that spread beyond where you want them.
Size
What Size is the Kodiak Jet Black® Bush Honeysuckle for Sale Online?
Our Kodiak Jet Black® Bush Honeysuckle ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Kodiak Jet Black® Bush Honeysuckle Grow?
Expect about 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity, widening slowly by suckers over time. Space plants about 3 feet apart for a mass planting or bank cover.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Kodiak Jet Black® Bush Honeysuckle?
The botanical name is Diervilla Kodiak Jet Black® ‘SMNDSN’. Browse more Proven Winners® plants.
What are some common names for this plant?
It is generally sold as bush honeysuckle, and is also called diervilla after its genus.
Is this the invasive bush honeysuckle?
No. The invasive bush honeysuckles that crowd out woodlands are Asian species of Lonicera. Kodiak Jet Black® belongs to Diervilla, a separate genus native to North America, and is often planted as a native alternative to them. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
How does it compare with the other Kodiak® bush honeysuckles?
All share the same size, habit, and yellow summer flowers. The difference is leaf color: Kodiak® Red flushes deep red, Kodiak® Orange flushes bright orange, Kodiak Fresh® is bright green, and Kodiak Jet Black® stays purple-black all season.
