Physocarpus opulifolius (Eastern ninebark)
Regular price
$18.00
Plant Specifications
Bloom Period: Spring
Size: 5' - 10' tall
Uses: Native gardens
Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Partial Sun
Moisture: Average, Moist
Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Rocky
Please note: WBN does not ship potted plants. Please see our pickup instructions for details.
Physocarpus opulifolius is a shrub called eastern ninebark. The name is a reference to the peeling bark on mature wood. This deciduous understory shrub grows in an arching fountain shape, reaching 5' - 10' tall and wide at maturity. It prefers average to moist soil, and grows along streams.
Ninebark is a strong grower, often used as a hedge or, or can be maintained by pruning in late winter or early spring before new growth starts, or immediately after it finishes flowering in late spring/early summer.
In spring the ends of ninebark branches are speckled with white to faint pink clusters of blooms. Being a member of the rose family, ninebark's flowers are reminiscent of spirea or pears. Mining bees and large tongued bees such as bumblebees and carpenter bees are most attracted, while also supporting butterflies and beneficial wasps. After spring, the flowers turn to pods which redden vividly in July, and brown afterward.
Eastern ninebark serves as a larval host for dozens of species of butterflies and moths. Cultivated varieties come in all colors and sizes, but the changes bred into the plants alter the chemical compounds in the leaves (anthocyanins), which may have a detrimental effect on its ability to serve as a larval host. We prefer the wild, uncultivated species.