This highly adaptable and underused native should be a workhorse in many every sun-loving backyard. As a result of the introduction of recent cultivars, the ninebark now sports numerous leaves colors, develops large into a dramatic backdrop or more compact for front-of-the-border use, shows off in early summer with little clusters of white to dark pink flowers that are followed with papery clusters of blossoms, and exposes its fantastic structure in winter with its dramatic exfoliating bark which gives this tree its own name. Both wildlife and native plant lovers love its understated but charismatic existence. What is not to adore?

I’m completely enamored by this particular plant. As a garden designer I’ve never really understood why it is not more commonly used. I feel that you too will become impressed with the ninebark and dare to let it attract its depth of colour, texture and interest to your backyard. Let’s begin.

Botanical name:Physocarpus opulifolius
Common name: Ninebark
Origin: Native to eastern North America
Where it can grow: Hardy into -45 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 2 to 7; find your zone)
Water requirement: Moist to average
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: Up to 8 to 10 feet tall and wide, depending upon cultivar
advantages and tolerances: Spectacular, showy foliage, exfoliating bark, delicate blossom heads and vibrant seeds. Incredibly temperature tolerant types. This tree enjoys consistent moisture so it is extremely beneficial in moist problem areas.
Seasonal interest: This plant shows four-season interest. It exhibits radically colored spring foliage; blossoms in early summer with white to pink flowers, depending upon the cultivar; seeds type in drooping clusters in early fall. During winter the papery exfoliating bark provides a new dimension to the backyard.
When to plant: Fall and spring

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Distinguishing traits. The ninebark earns its name by exhibiting a deeply exfoliating textured bark. This is quite evident in winter following the tree has shed its leaves and creates a special statement in the winter garden.

Jay Sifford Garden Design

In early summer the ninebark is garnished with delicate clusters of flowers which vary from white to dark pink depending upon the cultivar.

This tree is very attractive to wildlife. In early summer once the plant is in blossom, it attracts butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. After the seeds set, birds, particularly finches, adore the ninebark. Pruning back the plant somewhat in late winter or early spring may cause the ninebark to produce more food for wildlife.

Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Now onto the main reason this tree belongs in your backyard: the foliage. Newer cultivars, such as this ‘Coppertina,’ are stealing the show from the elderly ‘Diabolo‘ (syn. ‘Monlo’), which divides itself with almost black foliage. Ninebarks exhibit their very best color in sunlight.

Not So Hollow Farm

There are now chartreuse cultivars, for example ‘Dart’s Gold’ on the marketplace. ‘Amber Jubilee’ combines the freshness of chartreuse foliage with dramatic metallic accents.

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‘Center Glow’ is a newer cultivar that shows an array of metallic colors in its own foliage. The foliage normally darkens over the course of the growing season.

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A more compact ninebark is finally available to those with limited space. ‘Little Devil’ grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and wide and earns its place where its larger siblings would overwhelm.

Jay Sifford Garden Design

The best way to utilize it. A number of the larger ninebarks, such as this ‘Diabolo,’ make dramatic backdrops for an array of summer-blooming annuals. Here, ‘Diabolo’ (from the background) shares the spotlight with a kettle of ‘Alabama Sunset’ coleus (zones 10 to 11) and creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia, zones 4 to 8). Using brightly colored foliage in front of ‘Diabolo’ makes for a season-long show which is not to be missed.

Jay Sifford Garden Design

In similar manner, ‘Diabolo’ creates a fantastic background when emphasizing flowering perennials. One of my favorite summer celebrity combinations is pink coneflower (Echinacea purpurea cvs., zones 3 to 2), tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis, zones 7 to 10), and Karl Foerster feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, zones 4 to 9), backed up by a chorus of ‘Diabolo’ ninebarks.

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Here we view the leaves of ‘Little Devil’ bolstering the colour of a rusted steel wall. This permits the blue spires of Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia, zones 4 to 9) and the luxuriant blue foliage of particular ornamental grasses to reveal themselves to greatest advantage.

Jay Sifford Garden Design

Planting notes. Choosing the proper cultivar and form for your garden space is of primary significance. Most ninebarks, with the exclusion of ‘Small Devil,’ may turn out to be very large, which boosts their use as hedge and back-of-the-border plants. If needed, they may be pruned severely in late winter or early spring before new growth starts.

Many cultivars are presently being grown into patio trees, such as this ‘Diabolo’. This standard form creates a fantastic improvement for smaller courtyard gardens or as focal points in beds that are mixed.

For the best foliage colour, plant ninebarks in sunlight. They are quite adaptable to a variety of soil conditions. My experience has been that they will need to be watered quite frequently for several weeks following planting. After they become established, however, they are basically care-free. This piece of extra care on the front end will allow the ninebark to reward you for years to come.

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