Even Redder than the Original!
As we wander further into the fall season, you may be patiently waiting to see the shift to brilliant fall foliage. One shrub that is sure to light up any fall garden is Kodiak® Red 2.0 diervilla (Diervilla × splendens). Yes 2.0, because this diervilla is even redder than the original Kodiak® Red. But the autumnal show isn’t all this tough native shrub has to offer; it’ll capture your attention throughout the whole growing season.
Kodiak® Red 2.0’s new growth emerges in spring a vibrant red, maintaining red-tipped foliage for the entire summer before returning to a brilliant red for fall. It also makes a great foliage filler for your cut flower arrangements! Its lovely yellow flowers appear in summer and feed a wide variety of pollinators.
Not only is this plant beautiful and helpful for pollinators, but it’s also incredibly tough. It’s cold hardy to USDA zone 3 and heat tolerant to USDA zone 8. It will grow in any light exposure, but foliage color and bloom count are best with some direct sun. Once established, it’s quite drought tolerant. At 3-4’ tall and wide, it’s the perfect size for hedges, foundation plantings, or incorporated into a wildlife garden.
Regular pruning is rarely needed, but it can be shaped in the springtime if desired. It does benefit from a rejuvenation prune every 3-5 years; just remove ⅓ of the thickest branches all the way to the ground.
How do I control my overgrown hydrangea?
Has your hydrangea outgrown its space? Perhaps the place it’s in doesn’t allow it to reach its mature size comfortably, or maybe it grew larger than its listed mature size due to exceptional conditions. If transplanting isn’t an option for you, check out Kristina’s “How to Handle an Overgrown Hydrangea” blog to see what you can do for your overgrown hydrangea.