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Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle
Diervilla lonicera

One of the most popular native shrubs, dwarf bush honeysuckle grows well under a wide range of growing conditions with a nice 3'x3' shape, taller in sun. It spreads by runners, and some gardeners may want to pull or cut them to avoid excessive spreading. Small, native, mounded shrub 1-3' tall and less than 3' wide, often forming thickets. Suited for mass plantings, erosion control, woodland and shade plantings, forest restorations and reestablishment after fire or clearcut. Established plants can be pruned in early spring before growth begins or right after flowering.

USDA symbol: DILO

General Information

Plant TypeShrub
Height4 feet
Light ExposurePart Sun, Shade, Sun
Soil MoistureDry
Bloom ColorYellow
Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle (Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle<div><em class="small">Diervilla lonicera</em></div>)
Photo credit: Minnesota Wildflowers (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceHigh
General Resilience10
Salt ToleranceNone
Stress ToleranceDrought Tolerant, Fire Tolerant

Pollinator Value: Very High

Bloom MonthsJune to August
Larval Host ofMoths
Specific Pollinators HostedHemaris aethra
Pollinator BenefitInsect Pollinated, Provides Nectar, Stem Nesting

Project Planning

Project TypeBoulevard, Rain Garden, Restoration, Shoreline Buffer, Upland Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism9
Herbivore SensitivityMedium
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadMedium
Soil StabilizationDeep
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyAitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Blue Earth, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Rice, Roseau, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Todd, Wabasha, Wadena, Washington, Winona, Wright
EcoregionDriftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands