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Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle

Diervilla sessilifolia 'Butterfly'

  • Native Diervilla Sessilifolia Thrives in Tough, Dry Sites Where Other Plants Fail
  • Cold Hardy: Thrives in Zones 4-8
  • Grows 3-4 ft Tall and Wide
  • Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant
  • Showy Yellow Blooms From Early Summer to Early Fall
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: This shrub thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct light daily for the most vibrant foliage color and heavy flowering. While it handles partial shade well, you will notice more open branching and slightly less intense bronze or maroon leaf tones.
  • Soil: It prefers well drained soil and is not picky about pH levels. If you are dealing with heavy clay, plant it in a slight mound to keep the "feet" out of standing water, or mix in some organic compost to improve drainage.

Watering Requirements

During the first growing season, water your Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle twice a week to ensure the root system anchors deeply. Once established, this plant is quite drought tolerant and resilient in dry spells. If it goes too long without water during extreme heat, the leaves may wilt or develop crispy edges, but a deep soak usually revives it quickly.

Pruning Tips

Because this plant blooms on new wood, you should prune it in late winter or very early spring before new growth starts. Think of it like a rejuvenating haircut: you can cut the entire shrub back to within 6 to 12 inches of the ground to encourage a flush of fresh, vigorous stems and a denser shape. This hard pruning keeps the plant from becoming leggy and maximizes the number of yellow blooms you get in summer.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow release fertilizer in early spring as the new leaves begin to emerge. Avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer or fall because this encourages tender new growth that can be easily damaged by the first hard frost. A single application in spring provides all the energy needed for a full season of growth.

Delivery and Shipping

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Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
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$150 - $198.99 $24.99
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Description

Valuable nectar support, this long-lived cultivar of a native North American native plant has exceptional versatility and adaptability, bold texture, and color! Attractive Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia 'Butterfly') works hard in your landscape. From the first days of spring to the long days of winter, it offers many ornamental qualities. But its true value comes from the nectar-rich flowers for Butterflies, bees, and beneficial pollinators other and the dense shelter it provides for songbirds.

Dark green foliage features prominent veining from a midrib. Each textured leaf is rimmed in coppery bronze for additional visual interest. In contrast, the yellow flowers are tiny but still manage to make an impact. Held in clustered panicles, the bright yellow hue and trumpet shape are irresistible to Hummingbirds too! They'll rebloom in flushes through the summer, although the main flower display is in early summer.

Very cold-hardy shrubs, Butterfly Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle thrive in USDA growing zones 4 to 8 where it grows 3-4 feet in height and width to create a wonderfully rounded shrub! This multi-stemmed deciduous shrub fills in thick and luxuriant all the way down to the ground. As the season wears on and nighttime temperatures fall, the foliage can take on a purplish hue. Even after the leaves fall, the reddish branches make a pretty display against the white layer of snow.

Planting and Application:

Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle has a marvelously informal look that works well in contemporary and Cottage Gardens. Do the same thing for your annual Victory Garden! A long hedge of Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle will look great and entice pollinators near your flowering veggie patch.

For en masse applications of these Space them three feet apart for a quick fill. Stagger extra rows behind them to enliven a wide, open area without fear under power lines. Butterfly will hold the soil for you, and require very little care. You'll feel great about adding this waterwise wildlife shrub that looks great in the Rock garden.

Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle makes a wonderful addition to a Backyard Wildlife Habitat. Add them to the north side of a planned Butterfly Garden to create a defined boundary. This designer trick pulls together the look of a happy humble jumble, just like you "meant to do that"!

We always recommend that you make your plant selections to suit the environmental conditions you face on your own property. Have tough soil on a slope? Honeysuckle shrubs are fantastic erosion control and soil stabilizing abilities. It's rugged and easy care, tolerating compacted soils of new construction zones and urban environments.

Give Butterfly room to spread and you'll appreciate it every season. This improved cultivar of a native hedging plant to work this season. Bring structure to your space with hedges, and you'll gain the added benefit of privacy screening. Space them three feet apart for a quick fill. Stagger extra rows behind them to enliven a wide, open area without fear under power lines.

  • Dramatic Purple-Red Foliage & Stems
  • Upright Shrub Form Covered in Vivid Yellow Blooms
  • Butterflies & Beneficial Pollinators Galore!
  • Cold Hardy Native Cultivar - Well-Behaved & Not Invasive
  • Great Soil Stabilizer for Slopes & Embankments
  • Dramatic Specimen, Create Fantastic Focal Points, Hedges & Backdrops

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Bush Honeysuckles loves full sun or partial shade. It needs to receive at least four hours of sunlight a day, or it will get leggy. Cold-hardy native cultivars thrive in well-drained soil types is a must, as Butterfly Diervilla sessifolia won't tolerate standing water. If you have Clay soil that stays damp, increases the drainage by bringing in additional soil in a mound for planting. Low moisture requirements and adaptability mean these are easy-care and low-maintenance shrubs.

For the first season, pay close attention to watering to get their roots established in the soil. After that, you'll be delighted by their resistance to periodic drought. Add a 3-4 inch layer of arborist mulch. Prune in late winter to shape your shrubs by eliminating crossing branches. Take out a few of the thickest branches out at ground level, and remove basal suckers as desired.

  • Grows Well in Full Sun or Part Shade
  • Wide Range of Well-Drained Soil Types
  • Regular Moderate Moisture Needs
  • Prune If Needed - Late Winter or Early Spring
  • Deer Tend to Leave it Alone
  • Easy Care & Low Maintenance

Survey your healthy, happy backyard ecology with pride! The pollinator-friendly and cultivated native Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle shrubs are an extraordinary choice! Order Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle today at NatureHills.com!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you cut back butterfly bushes?

  • Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle benefits from light pruning in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. This hardy shrub naturally maintains its 3-4 foot rounded shape in zones 4-8. Remove any dead or damaged branches and lightly shape as needed to encourage dense growth and summer blooms.

Do you cut down butterfly bushes?

  • Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle can be cut back in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. This hardy shrub naturally grows 3-4 feet tall in zones 4-8 and benefits from light pruning to maintain shape. Remove dead or crossing branches and trim lightly to encourage fresh growth and summer blooms.

How to care for a butterfly bush?

  • Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle thrives in zones 4-8 and requires very little care once established. This hardy native tolerates various conditions and grows 3-4 feet tall and wide. Space plants 3 feet apart and enjoy nectar-rich blooms from early summer through fall with minimal maintenance required.

How big do butterfly bushes get?

  • Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle grows 3-4 feet tall and wide, forming a rounded shrub in zones 4-8. This compact native fills in densely from ground level up. Space plants 3 feet apart for hedging or mass plantings.

What type of soil does Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle need to thrive?

  • Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle adapts to a wide range of soil conditions, making it exceptionally low-maintenance. This hardy native thrives in zones 4-8 and tolerates poor soils while providing excellent erosion control. For best results, plant in well-draining soil and space 3 feet apart - available at naturehills.com.

What are good companion plants to grow alongside Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle?

  • Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle pairs beautifully with native perennials like coneflowers, bee balm, and black-eyed susans that bloom simultaneously in early summer. Its 3-4 foot rounded form also complements ornamental grasses and shorter spring bulbs. Plant companions 3 feet away to allow proper spacing in zones 4-8.

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