Diabolo ninebark

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; foliage colour is strongest in sun, but some afternoon shade helps in hot climates.

Water

Water regularly during establishment. Once rooted, it tolerates short dry spells, but water deeply during prolonged drought.

Soil

Adaptable to clay, loam and sandy soils, including moderately alkaline ground; best in reasonably fertile soil that retains moisture without staying waterlogged.

Height

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m)

Spread

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m)

Flowers

Late spring to early summer; rounded clusters of white flowers flushed pink, followed by reddish seed capsules.

Foliage

Three- to five-lobed leaves emerge reddish purple and mature to deep burgundy; leaves can become greener in shade or summer heat.

Growth

Fast

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   4 ft (1.1 m)

3. After 2 years

   5 ft (1.7 m)

4. After 3 years

   7 ft (2.3 m)

5. After 5 years

   8 ft (2.4 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply through the first growing season whenever the root zone begins to dry.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the roots, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Apply compost in spring on poor soil; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Allow space for its mature width and keep surrounding growth open for airflow.
• Remove any plain green shoots at their point of origin.

Pruning. Immediately after flowering, remove up to one-third of the oldest stems at ground level and shorten awkward branches selectively. Renovate a badly overgrown shrub in late winter by cutting stems close to the ground, accepting that this will sacrifice that spring's flowers.

Early spring

Plant when the ground is workable and not waterlogged; water thoroughly and mulch.

Spring

Remove dead or damaged wood and check for green-leaved shoots.

Late spring to early summer

Enjoy the flowers; prune selectively once flowering finishes if shaping is needed.

Summer

Water during prolonged dry weather and check crowded growth for powdery mildew.

Autumn

Plant in mild regions while the soil is still warm, and water new plants during dry spells.

Late winter

Assess the bare framework; renovate only if necessary, leaving attractive peeling stems where possible.

• Use as a dark-leaved backdrop in a mixed border, contrasting it with pale flowers and silver foliage.
• Plant as an informal screening hedge where there is room for its arching growth.
• Pair with ornamental grasses and late-flowering perennials for contrasting foliage texture.
• Use as a specimen where its flowers, seed capsules and peeling winter bark can be seen.

Garden styles it suits: Modern rustic, Cottage garden, New perennial (prairie), Native hedgerow, Low-maintenance and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Feather reed grass, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Catmint, Russian sage and Oakleaf hydrangea.

Wildlife: Flowers provide pollen and nectar for visiting insects. Dense branches offer shelter for birds, and the North American native species supports some moth larvae; the dark-leaved cultivar may not support the same range or abundance of insects as green-leaved plants.

• Powdery mildew can coat and distort leaves, especially in crowded growth; improve airflow, water the soil rather than foliage and remove badly affected shoots.
• Leaf spots may develop in wet conditions; collect fallen affected leaves and avoid overhead watering.
• Brown leaf edges and premature leaf drop can follow drought or reflected heat; water deeply, mulch and avoid hot, enclosed planting sites.
• Poor colour and sparse flowering usually follow too much shade; move to a sunnier position, allowing afternoon shade in hot climates.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No particular part is established as poisonous, but animal-specific information is limited; it is not an edible plant, and eating plant material may cause digestive upset.

• Purple smokebush (Cotinus coggygria)

  Smokebush has rounded, unlobed leaves and airy, smoke-like flower plumes rather than lobed leaves and compact flower clusters.

• Purple-leaved Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

  Barberry has small, unlobed leaves, sharp spines and small yellow flowers; ninebark has larger lobed leaves and no spines.

• Wine & Roses weigela (Weigela florida 'Alexandra')

  This weigela has opposite, unlobed leaves and pink trumpet-shaped flowers; ninebark has alternate, lobed leaves and rounded clusters of small flowers.

Physocarpus means 'bladder fruit', referring to the inflated seed capsules, while 'ninebark' describes the many thin layers of peeling bark on older stems.

Propagation. Root softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, or hardwood cuttings during dormancy. Seedlings will not reliably retain the cultivar's dark foliage and other characteristics; check local plant-protection restrictions before propagating.

Accepted botanical name

Physocarpus opulifolius

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and Kentucky.

Measured

Soil pH 4.5 to 6.5. Average height 300 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.