Bush Honeysuckle
Encyclopedia
Bush Honeysuckle is genus of three species of deciduous
shrub
s in the family Caprifoliaceae, all indigenous to eastern North America
. The genus is named after a French
surgeon Dr. Dierville, who introduced the plant to Europe
around 1700.
The bush honeysuckles are low in height (1-2 m), of small to medium diameter (1-2 m), and develop into colonies
by means of spreading underground rhizome
s. Their leaves
are simple, opposite and either oval or lanceolate in shape with a toothed edge. The fall
color varies between yellow, orange and red. Small tubular flower
s, typically pale yellow, are produced in June and July.
Species
Other species formerly included in Diervilla are now treated in the genus Weigela
. The bush honeysuckles are commonly confused with the common wild honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica
), or the Japanese honeysuckle
(Lonicera japonica), both members of the closely related genus Lonicera.
The British Diervilla national collection is held at Sheffield Botanical Gardens
; along with the national collection of the closely related Weigela
genus.http://www.sbg.org.uk/diervilla.asp
Diervilla species are used as food plants by the larva
e of some Lepidoptera
species including Common Emerald
and The Engrailed
.
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s in the family Caprifoliaceae, all indigenous to eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The genus is named after a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
surgeon Dr. Dierville, who introduced the plant to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
around 1700.
The bush honeysuckles are low in height (1-2 m), of small to medium diameter (1-2 m), and develop into colonies
Clonal colony
A clonal colony or genet is a group of genetically identical individuals that have grown in a given location, all originating vegetatively from a single ancestor. In plants, an individual in such a population is referred to as a ramet...
by means of spreading underground rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s. Their leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are simple, opposite and either oval or lanceolate in shape with a toothed edge. The fall
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
color varies between yellow, orange and red. Small tubular flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s, typically pale yellow, are produced in June and July.
Species
- Diervilla sessilifolia – Southern bush honeysuckle
- Diervilla lonicera – Northern bush honeysuckle (other names Low bush honeysuckle, Dwarf bush honeysuckle, Yellow-flowered upright honeysuckle)
- Diervilla rivularis – Mountain bush honeysuckle (other names Georgia bush honeysuckle, Hairy bush honeysuckle)
Other species formerly included in Diervilla are now treated in the genus Weigela
Weigela
Weigela is a small genus of about 12 species of deciduous shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae, growing to 1-5 m tall. All are natives of eastern Asia. The genus is named after the German scientist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel....
. The bush honeysuckles are commonly confused with the common wild honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica
Lonicera tatarica
Lonicera tatarica is a species of honeysuckle known by the common name Tatarian honeysuckle. It is native to Siberia and other parts of eastern Asia, but it is probably better known in North America, where it is a widespread introduced species and noxious weed...
), or the Japanese honeysuckle
Japanese Honeysuckle
The Japanese Honeysuckle is a species of honeysuckle native to eastern Asia including China , Japan, and Korea. It is a twining vine able to climb up to high or more in trees, with opposite, simple oval leaves long and broad...
(Lonicera japonica), both members of the closely related genus Lonicera.
The British Diervilla national collection is held at Sheffield Botanical Gardens
Sheffield Botanical Gardens
The Sheffield Botanical Gardens are botanical gardens situated off Ecclesall Road in Sheffield, England, with 5,000 species of plant in 19 acres of land....
; along with the national collection of the closely related Weigela
Weigela
Weigela is a small genus of about 12 species of deciduous shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae, growing to 1-5 m tall. All are natives of eastern Asia. The genus is named after the German scientist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel....
genus.http://www.sbg.org.uk/diervilla.asp
Diervilla species are used as food plants by the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
species including Common Emerald
Common Emerald
The Common Emerald is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species is found throughout the Nearctic and Palearctic regions and the Near East. In the British Isles it is not found in Scotland but is a common species elsewhere...
and The Engrailed
Engrailed
The Engrailed and Small Engrailed are moths of the family Geometridae. They are distributed across most of Europe. There is an on-going debate as to whether they make up one species, or whether E. crepuscularia actually refers only to the Small Engrailed, with the Engrailed proper being separable...
.