Diervilla Splendens Diva El Madrigal Bush Honeysuckle

Diervilla Splendens Diva El Madrigal is a new variety of deciduous bush honeysuckle with attractive foliage, scented yellow flowers in summer and good autumn colour. It’s perfect for borders and containers.

Bush honeysuckle is native to north America but Splendens is a hybrid variety. Further mixing with the German bush honeysuckle Diva has created Diervilla Splendens Diva El Madrigal – an unusual and attractive bush honeysuckle that suits UK gardens.

Its foliage is deciduous so will fall each winter and grow back in spring. Leaves are dark, almost chocolate brown lances that turn bright shades of red and orange in autumn. During June small clusters of bright yellow flowers with long yellow stamens appear complementing the chocolate foliage. Small red throats appear as the blooms mature to add more interest. As with all bush honeysuckle the flowers are irresistible to bees and pollinators.

The overall colouring of this shrub is very attractive and sets it apart from the usual summer greens. 

Height and Spread of Diervilla Splendens Diva El Madrigal
Bush Honeysuckle Dive El Madrigal is compact growing to a height of 1.2 metres by 1.2 metres over 5 - 10 years.

How Hardy Is Diervilla Splendens Diva El Madrigal
This tough shrub is hardy to minus temperatures if the roots are well drained.

How To Use Diervilla Splendens Diva El Madrigal
This is an unusual shrub for mixed borders as it brings chocolate and yellow colours to the usual summer offerings.

It suits the back or the middle of a border in wildlife friendly gardens or in a swathe in modern urban gardens where its suckering habit will soon bush the shrubs out.

You can also grow Bush Honeysuckle Dive El Madrigal in large well-watered container but don’t allow it to dry out.

How To Care For Diervilla Splendens Diva El Madrigal
Bush Honeysuckle Dive El Madrigal will grow in most well-drained soils. It’s happy in alkaline to acid soils but prefer fertile, mulch rich areas.

Choose a sunny to part sunny spot and mulch well. Bush honeysuckle Dive El Madrigal is hardy but it will struggle to flower if the soil is very dry. Keep it watered in hot spells.

This shrub is suckering so it spreads by the roots. Prune back branches to maintain the size and shape you prefer, but be aware that flowers bloom on old wood. If you want lots of flowers, prune back immediately after flowering has finished to give it time to grow new stems for the following year.

Water well until established and apply plenty of rich mulch to the roots for the best displays.