Ninebark Exciting times for


In June, ninebarks produce white-pink flowers grouped together in showy cymes that are a magnet for butterflies. These attractive inflorescences are followed by red fruit clusters composed of many inflated, bladder-like capsules.


By Philip Ronald, Ph.D. T


he ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) has very quickly become one of the most popular ornamental shrubs in


prairie Canada. The meteoric rise to fame for this species can be traced to several reasons, not the least of which is its cold hardiness (zone 2), ease of transplanting and adaptabil- ity to a wide range of growing conditions. A profusion of exciting, new cultivars has also inspired many gardeners to find space in the landscape for this unique shrub. Ornamental features


Named for its multi-layered, exfoliat-


ing bark, ninebark is now often associated with colourful purple foliage. Early variet- ies that featured green or yellow foliage are still available but are greatly outsold by their purple-leafed counterparts. In zones 2 and 3, past choices for purple foliage in shrub-


22 • Spring 2012


form have been truly limited with Cistena Cherry, Weigela and Barberry often show- ing damage following a harsh winter. The foliage of ninebark consists of pal- mately-veined, 3-5 lobed leaves with inter- esting marginal dentation. In June, nine- barks produce white-pink flowers grouped together in showy cymes that are a magnet for butterflies. These attractive inflores- cences are followed by red fruit clusters composed of many inflated, bladder-like capsules. The seed-bearing fruit clusters are a food source for winter birds and combine with ninebark’s uniquely layered bark to provide ample interest above the snowline. Cultivars


The last 10 years has seen a profusion


of new ninebark cultivars enter the North American marketplace. Everything changed


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