Low Bush Honeysuckle

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

3-4 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 9

The Low Bush Honeysuckle is an excellent choice if you want a low-maintenance shrub with vibrant color that will support and attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. New foliage has a crimson hue before transitioning into a deep green. Later in the growing season, the foliage will be a bright shade of yellow-orange. Yellow flowers bloom in June and give way to berries in the fall.

This deciduous shrub has an upright, woody structure and naturally maintains a compact size. Use this perennial in beds, mass plantings, or create a border. Include in a butterfly garden or plant near a patio or deck to admire the birds that will eat the berries. Low Bush Honeysuckle is a native plant, so it will thrive with very little care after it has settled in. Grow this lovely shrub as a perennial in USDA zones 4 through 9.

Low Bush Honeysuckle Care

Plant in full to partial sun, although this plant prefers more shade than light. Routinely water for the first year to help the plant acclimate. Established plants will need water weekly or when the soil dries out. Use rich, moist soil that promotes drainage. 

Feed Honeysuckle each spring using a balanced fertilizer. Trim damaged growth at any time during the growing season, and shape the plant after the flowers fade. Give the shrub a rejuvenating trim every few years.

Low Bush Honeysuckle Spacing

The Low Bush Honeysuckle is a compact shrub that will reach 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. When used in a mass planting, the shrubs should be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart.