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Kodiak® Orange Diervilla x

Flower Season
  • Summer
  • Fall
Mature Size
4' 4' 1.2m 1.2m
Height: 3' - 4'
Spread: 3' - 4'
Height: 91cm - 1.2m
Spread: 91cm - 1.2m
  • Details

    36 - 48 Inches
    48 - 60 Inches
    36 - 48 Inches
    91cm - 1.2m
    1.2m - 1.5m
    91cm - 1.2m

    Features

    Looking for a durable native plant that will thrive in sun or shade, and is drought-tolerant? Deer-resistant, too? You've got it!

    This shrub pushes fall color to the limits with its glowing orange fall foliage. It lights up the fall landscape, making it an ecofriendly alternative to burning bush. Bright yellow flowers in early summer add to its appeal. A durable native plant that thrives in sun or shade, its is drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and can even grow in dry shade. This is an excellent landscape plant that will succeed in even challenging sites. 

    Top three reasons to grow Kodiak® Orange diervilla:

    • Tolerant of dry shade (though color is best with at least some sun)
    • Never without yellow flower clusters in the summer
    • Orange new growth and glowing orange-red fall foliage
    Foliage Interest
    Fall Interest
    Drought Tolerant
    Erosion Control
    Attracts: 
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Hummingbirds
    Resists: 
    Deer
    Native to North America

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Shrub
    Shrub Type: 
    Deciduous
    Height Category: 
    Medium
    Garden Height: 
    36 - 48 Inches 91cm - 1.2m
    Spacing: 
    48 - 60 Inches 1.2m - 1.5m
    Spread: 
    36 - 48 Inches 91cm - 1.2m
    Flower Colors: 
    Yellow
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Colors: 
    Orange
    Foliage Shade: 
    orange
    Habit: 
    Spreading
    Container Role: 
    Thriller

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Full Shade
    Light Requirement: 
    Part Shade to Shade
    Light Requirement: 
    Part Sun to Sun
    Light Requirement: 
    Sun
    Light Requirement: 
    Sun or Shade

    The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).

    Maintenance Category: 
    Easy
    Blooms On: 
    New Wood
    Bloom Time: 
    Summer
    Hardiness Zones: 
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Uses: 
    Border Plant
    Uses: 
    Landscape
    Uses: 
    Mass Planting
    Uses Notes: 

    Naturalizing; mass plantings

    Maintenance Notes: 

    Adaptable to most soils, including dry ones. Trim in spring and apply a controlled-release fertilizer.

    Fun Facts: 

    Though it is sometimes called "bush honeysuckle," Diervilla is not invasive like certain honeysuckles are. They work well for naturalizing an area as they spread a little bit by suckering.

    Kodiak® Orange Diervilla x 'G2X88544' USPP 27,548, Can 5,596
  • 17 Reviews

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    Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
    • Last fall I purchased two Kodiak Orange plants at an Agway store in late summer on sale for $7 a piece. This year they are drop dead beautiful with yellow flowers. Healthy looking and add nicely to our landscaping.

      Alan
      , Pennsylvania
      , United States
      , 1 year ago
    • I've had this plant for 2-3 years. It has been so disappointing. Yes the deer eat it but even more disappointing is that it simply does not perform. Doesn't flower and doesn't have fall color. It is in almost complete shade and gets average water. I was hoping it would screen an unattractive utility post. I guess it's time to look for a new plant.

      Elaine Todd
      , Virginia
      , United States
      , 1 year ago
    • I am happy with the plant , grows well in my shade corner with clay soil. The deer are also liking the plant

      missy
      , Michigan
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • Going on 3 years with one of these in my landscape. It’s in pretty deep shade, I’d say 4 hours of good dappled sunlight and relatively dry too. I haven’t had too good of flowering but that’s okay I’m not terrible fond of yellow flowers. The fall color is the kicker for me though. In its own regards it’s right there with my spice baby viburnums and fothergilla gardenii. It’s stayed true to size but I’d need another year or two without trimming to truly see it’s more mature size.

      Josh
      , Illinois
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • I, like others, have been disappointed that this plant was not the deer resistant plant as indicated on the website. I may try the cage idea presented by one reviewer but I have now surrounded it with deordant bar soap chips which work for my Hosta. Will not buy any more of these particular plants!

      Spropmop
      , Michigan
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • Obtained one Kodiak Orange diervilla from a local metro St. Louis gardening center during April 2021. Planted it a partial shade location. The plant was doing fine until approximately late September/early October when, one night, deer ate it to the ground. Needless to say, 2021 was not kind to the diervilla. This spring (2022), it has re-sprouted and I have protected it with a metal cage (thank you Effinger's Garden Center). The metal cage is actually a hanging thick wire rod planter basket turned upside down which I then staked the cage to the ground. I will see whether, and how well, the diervilla recovers. No plant is completely "deer proof."

      William Shirley
      , Illinois
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • I bought 5 of these in quart pots (all they had left) to ring a new patio. They tripled in size this summer, but were very fragile, breaking off easily. I want them to grow taller, wider and denser, so will try pruning them now in November. I was going to wait until spring, but the first snow bent the branches almost totally flat, and I'm afraid they will break off on their own too low to the ground. The color has been sporadic, 3 are partially orange red foliage, but two are not, and now winter is upon us. Hopefully they will grow a bit differently next year. The colors are beautiful on the bushes that have it though.

      MJ
      , Michigan
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • I bought this plant about 3 years ago and planted it in a very large 1/2 barrel in the shade. It has never bloomed and never had the beautiful leaf color that was described. It simply acts like a very ordinary shrub and I'm terribly disappointed. I'm going to give it a hard pruning late winter, early spring to see if will do any better this coming year.

      Judith Rose
      , North Carolina
      , United States
      , 3 years ago
    • I purchased one of these two years ago. I planted it in full sun in zone 6. The first year the growth was vigorous but floppy, and summer and fall color were good. This year the growth was less floppy, but still very leggy. The foliage looked burnt by late summer, and there is no fall color happening. I will try cutting it way back next year, and even cutting back after it gets to 2 feet or so to see if I can get it a bit bushier and with more foliage.

      Cheryl
      , Missouri
      , United States
      , 3 years ago
    • I bought two Kodak Orange and one Kodak Red. Stated as deer resistant, however…the deer ate all the leaves on all the stems! I now possess 3 additional shrubs that I have to spray to deter deer. Very sad I bought these.

      MDwalker
      , Maryland
      , United States
      , 3 years ago
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