Diervilla sessilifolia 'LPDC Podaras' COOL SPLASH

Bush honeysuckle is native to North America (Canada) and consists of 3 species and quite a few hybrids or varieties to this day. However, diervilla sessilifolia is a species which comes from S.E. USA and is called southern bush honeysuckle, and precisely this variety was bred in Ithaca in NY state, USA. It comes from a breeding programme held by Cornell University and the Landscape Plant Development Centre, and was found as a natural mutation of one plant in a propagation bed in 2005. It was registered by Peter Podaras and Harold M.Pellett only 2 years after and the patent No. PP19,391 was issued in 2008 bearing the patent name LPDC Podaras.

COOL SPLASH is a variegated cultivar of southern bush honeysuckle forming small, deciduous shrubs with attractive variegated foliage and small honeysuckle-like golden yellow flowers. Leaves are stalk-less, lance-shaped, acuminate, mid green in the centre, and cream white variegated at margins. In autumn green parts turn burgundy red. Flowers come out from June for about 6 to 8 weeks. They are not probably the most spectacular feature of the plant but they are pretty, and make this plant stand apart from weigelas which belong to the same family and bush honeysuckle is often mistaken for them before it shows its flowers.

Bush honeysuckle is a suckering shrub growing vigorously into bushy and dense thickets about one meter tall and wide. It can be pruned in any way you like, but if flowers are what you are after prune it immediately after flowering in summer as it flowers on previous year's wood. Another nice feature is the colour of new twigs which turn reddish brown when they mature in midsummer.

It can take almost any well-drained soil, however, for best results provide humus-rich, constantly moist soil and mulch it well to prevent the roots from drying out which might result in slower growth, weak flowering, and smaller leaves. Grow it in full sun or part shade. Hardy to about -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update: 03-12-2016