Southern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia)
[dy-er-VIL-lah sess-sil-ih-FOE-lee-ah]

Deciduous Perennial Mounded, Thicket-Forming in the Caprifoliaceae Family

Diervilla sessilifolia (Southern Bush Honeysuckle) is a deciduous shrub native to the southern Appalachian region of the southeastern United States -- North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama -- where it grows in rocky, open, high-elevation sites: ridges, trail edges, rock outcrops, and streambanks.

It forms a dense, mounded, thicket-forming shrub to about 3-5 feet tall and wide, spreading by underground suckers once established. Opposite, toothed, glossy dark green leaves grow on square stems, and clusters of fragrant, sulfur-yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers appear at the branch tips from late spring into midsummer, drawing bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Pros

  • True native of the southern Appalachian mountains, valuable for pollinators and hummingbirds
  • Fragrant summer flowers and a dense, thicket-forming habit good for slopes and masses
  • Drought-tolerant and widely adaptable once established

Cons

  • Spreads by suckers and can colonize an area -- best sited where spreading is welcome
  • Modest, subtle fall color, not a season-long standout
  • May show powdery mildew or leaf spot in some conditions
Why Like A true native of the southern Appalachian mountains, found on rocky ridges, outcrops, and streambanks in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. Its fragrant summer flowers provide nectar and pollen for pollinating insects and nectar for hummingbirds.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 5 feet tall. 3 - 5 feet wide.
Growth Rate Slow to Moderate
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 4a - 8b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Deciduous, Dry, Full Sun, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial
Bloom Period June to July
Flower Color Sulfur Yellow
 

More Info from Experts

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American Hazelnut
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

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