Kolkwitzia - Beauty Bush

Evoking memories of days gone by, the old-fashioned favorite, Beautybush or Kolkwitzia, has received a fresh makeover with newer cultivars. Typically growing 6-10 feet high and wide, newer varieties are more compact at 3-6 feet. This tough, easy-to-grow deciduous shrub is a member of the honeysuckle family and is closely related to Weigela and Diervilla. Beautybush has a graceful arching habit and is covered in masses of pink bell-shaped flowers in spring. It blooms on old wood, so pruning, if needed, should be done right after flowering. Beautybush can be grown in full to part sun areas in well-drained soil with average moisture and is hardy in zones 4-8. It makes an excellent flowering hedge or plant in the mixed border to enjoy the pollinators that it will attract when in bloom. Another added benefit to this beauty is that it is also deer resistant.