Simcoe County Master Gardeners
Grow Natives!
PLANT PROFILE
COMMON NAME: Ninebark
BINOMIAL: Physocarpus opulifolius
| Family | Rosaceae (Rose) |
| Cdn Native Range | Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick |
| Natural habitat | open meadow, woodlands |
| Type | woody shrub |
| Features | showy flowers, showy berries, excellent fall colour, exfoliating bark |
| Growth habit | shape is multi-stemmed, vase shaped |
| Mature height | 150 – 240 cm (5 – 8 feet) |
| Mature spread | 20 – 180 cm (4- 6 feet) |
| Life span | long lived |
| Cdn Hardiness Zone | 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b |
| Growing conditions | full sun/part sun |
| Soil conditions | clay, loam, sand – tolerates a wide range of soil conditions |
| Watering needs | supplementary water for first year, dry to medium, well drained soils |
| Fertilizer needs | compost, natural mulch |
| Tolerance | drought |
| Maintenance rank | easy |
| Maintenance needs | prune or thin out older stems down to the ground every 2–3 years |
| Bloom | globe shaped creamy-white bracts fading to red in early summer |
| Fruit | n/a |
| Pollinator support | nectar source for native, mining, sweat and nomadic bees, larval host for white spring moth, cecropia moth |
| Environmental support | erosion control, slope stabilization |
| Garden Use | back of flower bed/border, hedge, screen, slope stabilization, winter interest |
| Risks & Cautions | susceptible to mildew in hot, humid conditions |
References: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx
Photo Credits:
Ninebark (credit: F. D. Richards, Flickr on CC)
Ninebark – flower (credit: ChiemSeherin, Pixabay)
Ninebark – foliage (credit: Carola68, Pixabay)
