Black Kodiak Honeysuckle (Diervilla 'Kodiak Black')
dy-er-VIL-ah 'Kodiak Black'

Deciduous Perennial Shrub
 
 
Available May 7
Size Notes Price Availability
#3 gallon Field $41.18
Available May 14
Size Notes Price Availability
#3 gallon Field $41.18
Available May 21
Size Notes Price Availability
#3 gallon Field $41.18
 
Experience the striking beauty of Black Kodiak Honeysuckle, featuring intense burgundy-black foliage that dazzles from spring to fall. In early summer, vibrant yellow flower panicles create a stunning contrast.

  • Diervilla 'Kodiak Black' is a stunning, compact cultivar of the native bush honeysuckle. This eye-catching shrub forms a dense, mounded habit typically reaching 2-3 feet in height and width.

The key feature of Kodiak Black is its dramatic foliage, which emerges in spring with a deep purple-black hue that intensifies as the season progresses. The dark, glossy leaves provide a striking contrast to the plant's clusters of tubular, golden-yellow flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer, attracting pollinators like hummingbirds and bees. In autumn, the foliage transitions to rich burgundy and crimson tones, extending the shrub's visual interest well into the cooler months.

Adaptable to a variety of well-drained soil types and growing conditions, Kodiak Black thrives in full sun to partial shade. It is drought-tolerant once established, making it a resilient choice for foundation plantings, mixed borders, mass plantings, and small-space gardens. Regular, light pruning in late winter helps maintain the plant's compact, mounded form.

With its dramatic, multi-season color, pollinator-friendly flowers, and wildlife-supporting attributes, Diervilla 'Kodiak Black' is a unique and eye-catching addition to sustainable, eco-friendly landscapes. Its compact, adaptable nature also makes it a versatile option for both large and small garden settings.

Pros


  • One of the best shade-tolerant shrubs (though color is more intense in sun or part shade)
  • Never without clusters of yellow flowers during the summer
  • Dramatic black-purple foliage all season with vivid red tones in autumn
  • Foliage Interest
  • Fall Interest
  • Drought Tolerant
  • Erosion Control
  • Native to North America
  • Illinois nativar
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 4 feet tall. 3 - 4 feet wide.
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium -
Zones 5a - 7b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Beneficial Insects, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Erosion Control, Fall Color, For a Shady Spot, Formal Garden, Foundation, Full Shade, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Hedges, Good for Mass Planting, Groundcover, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Nativar, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Shade Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Shrub, Specimen, Thrillers, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period April - June
Flower Color Yellow
 

Most Popular Plants

Commonly Planted with...

Wild bergamot, coneflower, black-eyed Susan, butterfly weed, and bee balm.

Photos of This with...

Dolce Silver Gumdrop Coral Bells, Sweet Caroline Jet Black Sweet Potato, Graceful Grasses Vertigo, Supertunia Royal Velvet Petunia, ColorBlaze Rediculous Coleus,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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Limited Availability

We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!