Shrub
Common ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
A vigorous, very hardy deciduous shrub with arching stems, white to pinkish flower clusters and peeling bark that adds winter texture. It grows in sun or partial shade and tolerates a wide range of drained garden soils.
- Size
- 2.5–4 m high · 1.5–2.5 m wideVaries by cultivar
- Light
- Full sun / Partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Winter
- Very hardy
- Seasonal form
- Deciduous
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Before planting
- Allow space for a broad, arching shrub and for possible suckering rather than planting it into a narrow gap.
- Full sun gives the strongest growth and foliage colour in coloured cultivars, although the species also grows in partial shade.
- Check the cultivar before planting: dwarf, gold-leaved and purple-leaved forms can differ greatly from the green species.
Why choose it
- Flowers, reddish seed pods and peeling older bark provide interest across several seasons.
- It is robust, cold-hardy and adaptable, making it useful in mixed borders, informal hedges and lower-maintenance plantings.
Care
- Water while establishing; mature plants tolerate occasional dry periods but perform best with reasonable soil moisture.
- Shape after flowering and remove selected older stems to keep the shrub vigorous and open.
- If major rejuvenation is needed, remove old stems selectively rather than repeatedly shearing the whole plant.
Good to know
- Many flowers are carried on established wood, so very hard dormant-season rejuvenation can reduce the following flower display.