Overview
Uses: Mass plantings, slopes, borders, native gardens, and pollinator gardens.
Benefits: Bright orange new growth and an intense orange-red fall display on a tough native shrub. Yellow flowers in summer feed bees and butterflies.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–7
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Mounding, Rounded — dense and suckering.
Bloom Color: Yellow
Foliage Color: Orange new growth, maturing to Green, Orange-Red in fall
Mature Height: 3–4 feet
Mature Width: 3–4 feet
Bloom Season: Summer
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
Warm orange color on one of the toughest native shrubs around.
Bush honeysuckle has a long record as a dependable native shrub for banks, edges, and difficult soil. Kodiak® Orange gives it two seasons of standout color: new growth flushes bright orange in spring, the leaves mature to green for summer, and in fall the whole plant turns an intense orange-red.
Between those color shows, clusters of small yellow tubular flowers open in summer and keep coming for weeks. Bumblebees and butterflies visit them through the heat of the season, when fewer shrubs are in bloom.
It grows about 3 to 4 feet tall and slowly spreads by suckers into a dense, low mass. Plant it in groups on a slope, along a property edge, or at the back of a sunny bed, and it fills in to cover the ground and hold soil. Once established it takes dry spells and poor soil in stride.
Care
Kodiak® Orange Bush Honeysuckle Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. Full sun produces the brightest orange in spring and fall; plants in partial shade grow and bloom well but show softer color.
It grows in a wide range of soils, including rocky, sandy, and clay ground, as long as water drains away. It is well suited to dry banks and lean soil once established.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. After that, it tolerates dry spells well. Mulching between young plants on a slope helps them hold moisture and fill in faster.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in early spring is plenty, and plants in reasonable soil often need none.
Because it blooms on new growth, prune in late winter or early spring. Cutting the plant back hard every few years brings a fresh flush of orange foliage and keeps it dense. Suckers widen the planting over time; remove any that stray past the edge of the bed.
Size
What Size is the Kodiak® Orange Bush Honeysuckle for Sale Online?
Our Kodiak® Orange 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® Orange Bush Honeysuckle Grow?
Expect about 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity, spreading slowly by suckers over time. Space plants about 3 feet apart for a mass planting or slope cover.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Kodiak® Orange Bush Honeysuckle?
The botanical name is Diervilla Kodiak® Orange. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub selected for its orange spring and fall foliage.
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 found in many eastern woodlands are Asian species of Lonicera. Kodiak® Orange is a Diervilla, a different genus native to North America, and makes a good native replacement for them. Selections like this one are often called nativars. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
Does it need full sun for the orange color?
Sun brings out the strongest color. In full sun the spring flush and the fall foliage are a vivid orange to orange-red. In partial shade the plant still grows and flowers well, but the color is softer and the summer leaves stay greener.
How does it compare with Kodiak® Red?
Both have the same size, suckering habit, and yellow summer flowers. Kodiak® Orange flushes bright orange and finishes orange-red in fall; Kodiak® Red has deep red new growth and red fall color. For more flowering shrubs, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
