Name:   Diervilla lonicera and Diervilla splendens cultivars with dark foliage.

Type of Plant:   Native shrub that’s hardy to zone 3, grows well in full sun or part sun, and a pollinator support plant.

Why I Love/Hate this plant: I love the new cultivars that have foliage that ranges from pale orange to dark purple. Check out the Kodiak series from Proven Winners or the Nightglow group from Bloomin’ Easy. We’re seeing more of these in garden centers and available for purchase online.  They are short, so they fit in many gardens, easy to grow, and don’t require much attention through the season.

I love the color the foliage brings. Plant this next to a plant with yellow or pale green leaves, and you’ve got an instant winning combination.

A Word to the Wise:     These are suckering plants, meaning that they send out shoots to the side of the main clump. It is not aggressive, however, and doesn’t travel any more than your Annabelle Hydrangea.  If you like plants that stay in one spot forever and ever you might not like Diervilla. But if you have a slope that needs holding, or a garden where plants can expand a bit, this a plant worth looking into.

I have this Diervilla growing in part shade and it is very happy. LOVE how it looks with the golden foliage of the bleeding heart!

The yellow flowers are small on this plant, but that doesn’t stop the pollinators from loving them. Diervilla blooms in late-June.

Some varieties have just a touch of foliage color while others are darker. Most have more color in the fall.