Wildflowers of the United States

Home Journal Family Index - All States Photo Albums News About Privacy

Mountain Bush Honeysuckle, Hairy Bush honeysuckle, Riverbank Bush Honeysuckle - Diervilla rivularis


Family: Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle family Genus Common Name: Bush Honeysuckle Native Status: Native
Diervilla rivularis - Mountain Bush Honeysuckle, Hairy Bush honeysuckle, Riverbank Bush Honeysuckle. This is one of only three species of Diervilla - Bush Honeysuckle. Officially listed as Threatened in Tennessee, Mountain Bush Honeysuckle seems to be even rarer in Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina, the only other states where it is recorded. According to USDA Plants Database, found only in Dade County in Georgia, Yancey County in North Carolina, five counties in Tennessee. The USDA does not have a county distribution map for Alabama, but the Alabama Plant Atlas shows it only in Cherokee and Blount counties in Alabama. There is a report from the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society that indicates it as being collected at Lula Falls in Walker County, Georgia in 1888. That is probably 10 or 15 miles from where I photographed this plant in Cloudland Canyon State Park, in Dade County, Georgia.

Found in:
AL, GA, NC, TN

Leave comments on Diervilla rivularis at this link.
Diervilla rivularis

Distribution of Diervilla rivularis in the United States and Canada:
Map unavailable.
Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key

Search Our Database: Enter any portion of the Scientific, Common Name, or both.
Scientific name:
Common name:

Example: Enter "lob" in the common name field and you'll get all our species that have "lobelia" in the common name, as well as "sharp-lobed hepatica".

Do a general Google search of the entire site:


#ad

Follow on Twitter
Follow USWildflowers on Twitter





#ad
Site: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2011-July-02Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
Nikon D7000
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
The inflorescence consists of several lemon-yellow (tending toward greenish) blossoms in a dense cluster at the end of the stems. The stamens and pistil extend well beyond the corolla.
Diervilla rivularis

Site: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2011-July-02Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D7000
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
The calyx and corolla of Mountain Bush Honeysuckle, as is the case with most of the plant, is densely covered with short hairs. The petals may be sparsely hairy with longer hairs. The recurved petals are usually more lemon-yellow than in this example.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Diervilla rivularis

Site: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2011-July-02Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D7000
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Mountain Bush Honeysuckle is a shrub that grows from 2 to 5 feet tall, spreading by underground stems, through which it forms colonies. In this case, the plant is hanging down on a ledge of a bluff.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Diervilla rivularis

Site: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2011-July-02Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D7000
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
One of the common names of Diervilla rivularis is "Hairy Bush Honeysuckle" - the plant is covered with short hairs. Note also that its leaves are on very short petioles.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Diervilla rivularis

Site: Waterfalls Trail, Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2012-December-05Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D7000
Diervilla rivularis seedpods
Click on the photo for a larger image
Diervilla rivularis

References used for identification and information:
#ad
Diervilla rivularis initially published on USWildflowers.com 2011-07-11; Updated 2017-03-02

Commercial / Cookie Notice

Looking for Wildflowers for a specific state? Check here:



All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
Photographs Copyright owned by the named photographer



Code Update 20230302