Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Ninebark blooms from May through June.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Ninebark
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–7. Expect it to reach about 6.6 ft tall and 6.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 4 years.
When to plant Ninebark
Plant Ninebark in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 7 range, spring means April to June and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from May to June.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 5 in April.
Comes in 7 varieties
Same plant, same care - pick the variety you are growing.
Good to know about Ninebark
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Full sun fixes three things at once: the deepest foliage color on colored-leaf cultivars, the most bloom, and the least powdery mildew, the disease that thrives in shade. per NC State and Clemson
How far south it grows
Illinois Extension rates it zones 2 to 6; NC State stretches it to 2a to 8b with afternoon shade. The warm limit is heat and mildew, not cold. per Illinois and NC State
Bark peels in nine layers
Mature stems shed papery strips of bark in many thin layers, exposing reddish inner bark. The name nods to nine lives, and Clemson counts as many as nine layers. per Clemson
Feeds bees, butterflies and birds
A strong native plant: USDA calls the flowers an excellent nectar source, they draw bees and butterflies, and many bird species eat the seed capsules. per USDA and NC State
Tough enough for rough sites
It shrugs off clay, rock, compaction, drought, and both wet and dry ground, which makes it a go-to for rain gardens, hedgerows, and erosion control. per Clemson and USDA
Not deer-resistant
Unlike many shrubs, ninebark is not on the deer-resistant lists. Deer and rabbits browse young plants where pressure is high, so protect new plantings. per NC State
What pairs well with Ninebark
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Black-Eyed Susan
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; lower at 2.6 ft, for the front of the border.
Purple Coneflower
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; lower at 3 ft, for the front of the border.
Blazing Star
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; lower at 3 ft, for the front of the border.
Siberian Squill
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; a soft color beside the pink.
Windflower
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; a soft color beside the pink.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 10 in, to carpet the ground beneath; a soft color beside the pink.
Arborvitae
Shares full sun and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 20 ft, for the layer behind it; both are native plants.
Calibrachoa
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; a soft color beside the pink.
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