Growing the Summer Wine Ninebark

Size and Appearance

The Summer Wine Ninebark is an upright, arching deciduous shrub that grows up to 2 feet a year when young, soon reaching 5 to 8 feet in height, and spreading out to a similar width. The stems are sturdy and flexible, and they don’t break under snow or ice. The bark is especially attractive in winter and spring, giving interest at that time. It is reddish-brown in color, and peeling into strips of many layers – in fact it’s all those layers that give this plant its name – 9 barks. The new leaves sprout early in the season, and they look a bit like a maple leaf, because they are divided into 3 distinct, pointed lobes. They have a rough texture and a slight gloss, and they are about 2 ½ inches long and wide, with a full, slightly undulating look. The big attraction is the color, which right from the get-go is a deep, rich burgundy-purple, just like a glass of good red wine. This color is held into the summer and into fall, without any of the dulling or greening we see on older varieties.

In June and July clusters of small flowers develop all along the branches. Each cluster is about 1-inch across, with around 30 tiny flowers in it, but they make up for their size with their abundance. Their petals are white, but the flower parts are rich pink, so the flower clusters look pale pink against the dark-red leaves – a great combination that is truly delightful. The clusters of seed pods seen on some ninebarks in early winter are often not produced on this plant.

Using the Summer Wine Ninebark in Your Garden

The rapid growth-rate of this shrub makes it a great choice for a new garden – you will have a substantial impact within a couple of seasons. Use it for filling spaces – plant in groups if you have larger areas, spacing plants 4 or 5 feet apart. It looks very effective planted with gold or yellow-leaved shrubs – perhaps other ninebarks such as Lemon Candy – and with silver-leaved perennials. Use it on slopes and banks, where the tough roots will stabilize the soil, or turn it into a colorful hedge by planting 3 feet apart for a lower hedge, or 4 feet for a taller one. It can be left as an informal screen, or clipped into a more formal feature.

Hardiness

Ninebarks are always top choices for cold zones, and the Summer Wine Ninebark is no exception. It is completely hardy throughout zone 3, and thrives in all the coolest zones, only beginning to suffer from heat once it gets into zone 8.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Although it will adapt to a couple of hours of shade a day, it is much better to grow the Summer Wine Ninebark in full sun, as this keeps the leaves looking great and strongly-colored. Too much shade will turn them greenish and produce weaker growth. This plant will grow in almost any soil that is well-drained, and not constantly wet. It grows in acid and alkaline soils, in clays or sands, and even in poor urban soil, construction waste and other difficult locations. It grows well on banks and rocky slopes too.

Maintenance and Pruning

Ninebarks are often over-trimmed – try just letting this plant grow and it will form a wonderful arching fountain of branches, with much more charm than when it is clipped into a mound. Of course you need to leave enough room when planting for this, as it will soon be 6 to 8 feet across. Once it becomes older you can remove a few of the oldest branches close to the ground in early spring, and removing the tips of young branches will make it bushier. It can of course also be trimmed into hedges and more rounded shapes, at just about any time of year.

The Summer Wine Ninebark isn’t bothered by pests or diseases, and has good resistance to powdery mildew, a disease that can make summer leaves on other varieties gray and ugly. You can never be sure with deer, but they do need to be pretty desperate before they will nibble at it. Water regularly during the first growing season – after that it is generally drought resistant and tough.

History and Origin of the Summer Wine Ninebark

Throughout the east, from New York state to Florida, you can find the ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, growing along riverbanks and in open areas on gravel or around the edges of woods. The wild, green-leaf form was widely grown in northern gardens for a very long time, but 20 years ago we started to see colored leaf forms appearing, and since then there have been many, with either yellow or red leaves.

In 2000 Timothy Wood, a plant breeder with Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. Grand Haven, Michigan, took pollen from the original red-leaf ninebark, Diabolo® (Monlo) and used it to pollinate a traditional green-leaf dwarf form, called variety nanus. Among the seedlings was what he was hoping for – a more compact plant that had red leaves. His new plant was named Seward and patented in 2004. The registered trademark name Summer Wine® was taken out for it in the same year by Spring Meadow Nursery.

Buying the Summer Wine Ninebark at The Tree Center

You won’t believe how easy it is to have bold color from spring to fall when you grow the Summer Wine Ninebark. It’s such a great improvement on the older Diabolo that it has been crazy popular, so order now – we can’t seem to keep these plants in stock for more than a few days.

Growing the Tiny Wine® Ninebark

Size and Appearance

The Tiny Wine® Ninebark is a medium-sized deciduous shrub, bushy and branches to the base, with upright branches, tending to be more upright than rounded. The stems are strong and flexible, unaffected by snow-load, and the bark is peeling and reddish-brown. It shows multiple layers of color, from orange to tan, and gray to beige. These layers give it the common name of nine barks. The small leaves cluster closely all the way up the stems, and on short side-branches on older stems. They are rounded and irregular, a little more than one-inch long, and almost as wide. They are scalloped and serrated around the edges, with almost a fluted appearance. Right from the time they emerge they are deep wine-red, and very attractive. When fall arrives they brighten to warm reds and then to vivid, showy reds to end the season. Even during summer there is no greening or browning of the rich leaf-colors.

In late spring clusters of flowers develop at the ends of the branches, and along the stems. These are about one-inch across, but profuse on every branch. Each cluster contains about 24 flowers, each one a tiny miniature with 5 petals. When in bud they are bright, light pink, opening to a soft pink that soon turns pure white. The subtle but striking effect is very beautiful, and a seasonal highlight.

Using the Tiny Wine® Ninebark in Your Garden

For adding structure and color to your shrub beds you can’t beat the Tiny Wine® Ninebark. Use it among other shrubs, evergreens and especially with plants that have yellow or variegated foliage – they show each other off. Grow it as a hedge along a path or driveway, or to hide an ugly fence. It can be trimmed as needed, but flowering will be reduced if you trim a lot. Grow it in more formal settings, or, since it is a native plant, in natural areas too.

Hardiness

The Tiny Wine® Ninebark is incredibly hardy, taking the chilly minus 40 degree minimums of zone 3 in its stride. It grows well through all cooler zones, but zone 7 is about its upper limit, as very hot summers can cause disease problems. If you should grow it in planter boxes, these can be left outdoors all winter from zone 5.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Full sun is best for the growth of the Tiny Wine® Ninebark, and especially for the leaf color, which will be brownish or greenish in shade. Shade also reduces flowering, so use it in places where the sun is bright and strong. It grows in just about any well-drained soil, including poor urban soils, low-grade construction soil and sandy soils as well as clays. If you have a place to plant it, it will grow. Avoid wet areas, although it will tolerate wet soils better than many other shrubs. Established plants are fine during normal summer droughts in zones where it grows.

Maintenance and Pruning

Pests and diseases are usually not an issue with the Tiny Wine® Ninebark. Deer won’t bother it, at least until they become truly desperate, so it is generally left untouched. This plant has proved resistant to powdery mildew, which is a problem in hotter areas, so it is very reliable in zone 7, and when growing in humid weather. You can grow it without trimming, or trim shortly before growth begins in spring, and then once or twice through the season, if you want. Left untrimmed it will develop a natural, more vase-like form, and be very attractive. (And less work.) You can prune in spring if needed, shortening back longer branches and, after a few years, removing a couple of old ones each year, close to the ground. This will encourage new, vigorous growth and keep your plant great for many years to come.

History and Origin of the Tiny Wine® Ninebark

The ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, can be found throughout the eastern states, from New York state all the way into Florida, although it is much rarer in the south. It grows on the gravel flats beside rivers, and on the banks of rivers and streams. It also grows on the sunny edges of woodlands. The first plant with dark red leaves was found as one plant among 120,000 seedlings at a nursery in Germany in 1968. Eventually it was named ‘Monlo’ and introduced in America as Diabolo®. In 2000 Tim Woods of Spring Haven Nursery Inc. Grand Haven, Michigan, used pollen from Diabolo® to create a more compact variety, with smaller leaves, which is called Summer Wine® (‘Seward’). In 2006 he revisited that plant, so to speak, and collected some seeds from it. Among the seedlings was a beautiful new, compact plant with small, frilly and dark-colored leaves, and dense growth. He patented it in 2016 with the name ‘SMNPOTW’, and it is released by Spring Haven, under their Proven Winners brand, as Tiny Wine®.

Buying the Tiny Wine® Ninebark at the Tree Center

Gardening in colder areas is hard enough, so do yourself a favor, take it easy, and add lots of color and interest without adding work and the disappointment of winter-killed shrubs. The Tiny Wine® Ninebark fits the bill perfectly, so use it freely wherever you want trouble-free color. You will love it – everyone does – but it would be best to order very soon, as our limited stock is going fast. Word is out on this fabulous vintage.

The Amber Jubilee Ninebark grows to around 6 feet tall, with upright, arching branches, and a spread of 3 or 4 feet wide. The flexible stems have peeling bark, which sheds to reveal multiple shades of soft brown to red – all those shades are why it is called ‘ninebark’. This is a handsome feature from late fall, through winter and in early spring before the leaves appear, but it is the foliage we came for. The leaves are round, but with 3 to 5 deep lobes, about 4 inches across. They grow in clusters all along the stems, and in spring they emerge wonderful shades of bright, showy orange, with yellow veins. The whole plants glows with this rich coloring, which persists for weeks, before gradually turning greenish for a few weeks during the summer. Then, with the first cool nights of fall, the leaves begin to darken, soon becoming powerful shades of deep purple, glowing darkly beneath the yellows and oranges of your fall trees. This shrub brings a powerful and colorful presence into your garden, and it asks for so little in return. Older stems produce clusters of white flowers in spring, and these add interest too. They turn into reddish-brown drooping seed heads, that look very pretty in early winter, after the last leaves have fallen.

Growing Amber Jubilee Ninebark

Use the Amber Jubilee Ninebark to add interest to shrub beds. It looks great planted among evergreens, making a terrific foliage color contrast with them. Use it planted in a row – space the bushes 3 feet apart – to make an informal hedge or screen. Plant on the margins of a wooded area – this is a native American plant – and enhance your natural areas in a non-invasive way. Use it on the banks of streams and rivers to control erosion, or at the edges of a mixed windbreak. Wherever you plant it, you will love it, and its easy growing.

The Amber Jubilee Ninebark is an incredibly tough and reliable shrub, that will grow almost anywhere. It is very cold-hardy, tolerating minus 50 degrees in zone 2 with ease. It also grows well in warmer conditions, all the way into zone 8. Wherever you live you can enjoy this shrub. It grows well in almost all soils, including drier soils, but not in soil that is regularly saturated with water. It does best in full sun, especially in the north, but it will grow well in partial shade, although the leaf coloring will not be as bright. It has no significant pests or diseases, and this shrub will grow in almost any location, including harsh urban ones. If you have tough places to plant, ninebark is your ‘go-to’. You can prune in late spring as needed, or in late winter. Annual trimming consists of shortening back the branches by about one-third and removing a few older branches at the ground. If you leave plants untrimmed, and the growth becomes too open after some years, you can even cut this plant right down to the ground, and have it start again, with vigorous and bushy new growth rapidly shooting up. 

History and Origins of Amber Jubilee Ninebark

Ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, grows naturally in the eastern states, from New York to Florida, and today it occurs across almost the whole country and up into Canada as well. It is found mostly on gravel areas near rivers, on banks, and in thickets under trees. There are a number of colored leaf forms, and James Richard Durand, of Jeffries Nurseries, in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, has been working on breeding new forms for years. In the spring of 2003, he took pollen from a variety called ‘Dart’s Gold’, with golden leaves, and used it to pollinate a variety called ‘Monlo’, or Diabolo®, which has purple foliage. He grew the seeds, and in spring 2006 he picked one seedling with the most interesting characteristics, and he named it ‘Jefam’.  He patented it in 2012, for its unique appearance and leaf colorings, and since 2003 was the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, the queen of both England and Canada, he decided to sell it under the name, Amber Jubilee. Our plants are produced under license, from stem pieces identical to that original plant – you get the real thing. The ever-changing color palette of this plant makes it a wonderful addition to your garden, but it has become hugely popular, so order now, while our stock lasts.

Growing the Ginger Wine® Ninebark

Size and Appearance

The Ginger Wine Ninebark is an upright, deciduous shrub that grows rapidly to reach 5 or 6 feet tall. It has an arching habit, with the branches rising vertically, and then arching outwards, so that you should expect it to take up a space about 6 feet across. The stems have reddish-brown peeling bark, and it is the many layers that shed from the branches that give this plant its name of nine barks. This attractive and rugged bark is an interesting feature in winter and early spring, and it is always good to have plants with multi-season interest. The leaves come out early in spring, and they are divided into three lobes, a little like a small maple leaf. They are about 3 inches long, and almost as wide, and they are carried not only along the stems of the new growth, but in clusters along older branches too, so this plant is always leafy, full and bushy. In spring the new leaves are a beautiful, glowing deep orange-red. As summer comes, they darken to a rich, dark, burgundy-red, which holds well throughout summer and into the fall, unlike many others, which turn greenish when hot weather comes.

Often not noticed much on green ninebarks, the clusters of white flowers produced in late spring are very showy against the dark foliage. They have a slight pink tint to them, adding to their interest. After they fade, they are replaced by fascinating inflated seed pods, which are green at first, but which turn a colorful bright red in fall. These add a lot of surprise interest when the leaves fall, and last well into the winter months.

Using the Ginger Wine® Ninebark in Your Garden

Wherever you need a tough plant to fill a space, alone or in a group, then this shrub is your answer. If you are starting a new garden you need to see some quick effect, and within a couple of growing seasons this bush will be substantial, and really making a statement. Use it in any sunny place, behind other shrubs, in a corner, along a fence, or, honestly, just about anywhere you feel like. Plant 4 feet apart for solid groups and screens.

Hardiness

Renowned for toughness, the Ginger Wine Ninebark is totally hardy in zone 3, and through all the cooler zones. Only when it hits zone 8 will it begin to suffer.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Grow the Ginger Wine Ninebark in full sun for the best colors. It will take a little shade, but in too much shade it will be weaker, and tend to turn greenish. It grows well even in difficult soils, if the drainage is good. Don’t plant it in low-lying areas or wet soil, but plant it without worries on sand or gravel soils, urban soils, construction waste, heavy clay on slopes or banks, and of course in any ordinary garden soil at all. If you have anything even resembling soil, this plant will grow there.

Maintenance and Pruning

Although a lot of people do trim them, and you can, just about any time of year, take our advise and just leave it to grow naturally. You will be amazed how much more attractive it looks, arching up. Leave enough room for its mature size when planting. After a few years you can, in early spring, cut out some of the oldest branches completely, leaving a more open plant. New shoots will come from the base, renewing and invigorating the bush. Pests and diseases don’t bother it, and deer only eat it when they are desperate.

History and Origin of the Ginger Wine® Ninebark

Throughout the east, from New York state to Florida, you can find the ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, growing along riverbanks and in open areas on gravel or around the edges of woods. The wild, green-leaf form was widely grown in northern gardens for a very long time, but 20 years ago we started to see colored leaf forms appearing, and since then there have been many, with either yellow or red leaves. Check out our current selection for other options – planting groups of several different colors is a great, easy way to fill spaces in your garden.

In 2010 Timothy Wood, a plant breeder with Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. Grand Haven, Michigan, collected seed from a popular ninebark variety called ‘Center Glow’. Among the seedlings he grew was one with fantastic leaf coloring, so he patented it as ‘SMNPOBLR’ and the nursery released it as Ginger Wine®.

Buying the Ginger Wine® Ninebark at The Tree Center

We think that these colorful ninebarks are just great in any garden, especially if you are busy and don’t want plants that need maintenance. Once established this plant is so reliable and easy you won’t believe it. Order it now, because these beauties go so fast, and once they are gone, they are gone.

the Lemon Candy Ninebark is the perfect choice where you need a plant that is tough, cold-hardy, able to grow in poor soil, drought-resistant, but only a few feet tal

Growing the Lemon Candy Ninebark

Size and Appearance

The Lemon Candy Ninebark is a compact deciduous shrub, with many dense branches, that grows about 3 feet tall and wide. Some stems may grow taller, but they are easily trimmed to keep your plant compact and neat. The reddish branches have peeling bark, bringing an attractive, rugged character to the plant in winter. The leaves are smaller than normal for ninebark, and in scale with the smaller size of the bush. They are about 2 inches long, divided into 3 lobes, a little like a small maple leaf. In spring the new leaves, which grow in clusters all along the stems, emerge a beautiful clean lemon yellow, making a fabulous show at that season of promise. As summer develops the color cools to a fashionable chartreuse yellow-green, bringing a limey tang to your beds, and showing off other plants perfectly. In fall the leaves return to a brighter yellow with the cold nights, looking great among the other fall colors in your garden.

Between late spring and early summer, 2-inch clusters of small white flowers are produced, which scatter among the golden leaves like a dusting of sugar on old-fashioned candy. Seed pods are rarely produced.

Using the Lemon Candy Ninebark in Your Garden

Despite its smaller size, this plant is just as tough as its big sisters, so you can safely use it anywhere. Plant it as a glowing specimen in a small bed, or group it as edging or a splash of color in a larger one. Plant a row alongside a path or driveway or highlight it among boulders and gravel in a rock garden. Grow it on a bank or slope, where its roots will help prevent erosion, and where its brightness will turn the area into a garden feature. It can also be used for planters and tubs, alone or surrounded by other plants – perhaps some of our Drift roses in a suitable color scheme. Wherever you plant it, you can be sure it will thrive.

Hardiness

The Lemon Candy Ninebark is just as cold-resistant as other ninebark; indeed, it seems to be hardier and survives even in zone 2. In all other zones it will thrive, except for zone 8 or 9 in the south-east, where the summers are a little too hot and humid for it to do its best. Otherwise, plant it without any concern for cold.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Full sun will bring out the very best and brightest in the Lemon Candy Ninebark. In shady places, it will be greener, but still attractive. This tough plant grows well even in the poorest of soils, growing in gravels and sands, heavy clays, and difficult urban conditions. Once established it is drought-resistant, and it’s a great choice for those hot, dry spots where most plants won’t grow well. Avoid wet, low-lying places where the drainage is poor.

Pruning and Maintenance

The Lemon Candy Ninebark is an extremely low-maintenance plant and it needs virtually no care, once it has become established. Pests and diseases don’t bother it, and it can be left to grow naturally. If you want to neaten it into an edging, you can trim at any time of year, although late spring, after the new growth has developed, would be best. Longer shoots can be shortened back to maintain a rounded look, or left to develop a more natural, arching appearance. After a few years you can remove some of the oldest stems low down, to encourage young, vigorous new growth.

History and Origin of the Lemon Candy Ninebark

The Lemon Candy Ninebark is a selected form of the ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, an American native shrub. It can be found growing on riverbanks, gravel beds, and open areas beneath trees throughout the east, from New York to Florida. It has been grown for a long time in gardens because it is so tough and easy to grow anywhere. Since the 1970s several new forms have been developed with colored leaves – check out our list for some other options – but almost all those plants develop into larger bushes, about 8 feet tall and wide after a few years.

Dr. Peter Podaras is a plant breeder at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, who is well known for developing new ornamental shrubs. He was interested in developing new, smaller ninebarks, so he collected many different unusual seedlings, let them flower together, and gathered the seed. In 2007 he grew many seedlings and studied them. In 2008 he selected the most interesting ones and created his Gum Drop series, three small shrubs with colored leaves. The variety trademarked as Lemon Candy is the brightest, and in 2011 the University was granted a patent on it, with the official name of ‘Podaras 3’

Buying the Lemon Candy Ninebark at The Tree Center

If you need bright, small and tough, then the Lemon Candy Ninebark is for you. Our plants are grown to be exactly as described, and you can’t go wrong with this reliable and colorful plant. Order now, because they are selling fast.

Growing the Diabolo® Ninebark

Size and Appearance

The Diabolo Ninebark is a hardy, deciduous shrub, growing between 4 and 8 feet tall and wide, depending on its location and your climate. It grows larger in warmer zones, and in richer soils, although it tolerates poor soils very well. The arching stems grow up from the base, making a dense, bushy plant. The bark is reddish, and peels in strips, making an attractive feature in winter, when it is not hidden by the profusion of leaves. The foliage grows all along the stems, in clusters, and the leaves are up to 4 inches long, with 3 to 5 lobes, a little like a maple leaf. What makes this plant so special is the color of those leaves. In the wild plant they are green, but in this bush they begin the season a rich, brilliant deep red, glowing out across your garden. In summer they darken to a maroon red, and in fall they turn intriguing shades of coppery red – always colorful, and yet changing with the seasons.

In late spring or early summer, the Diabolo Ninebark flowers, with beautiful 2-inch clusters of many small flowers. These are pink in the bud, opening to a pinky-cream that contrasts beautifully with the foliage. On ordinary ninebarks, the flowers are inconspicuous because they blend into the yellowish-green of the leaves. Not here, where they stand out among those dark red leaves, and really make an impact. The flowers are followed in fall by unusual red seed pods, that are soft but dry clusters of inflated pods. They become very noticeable after the leaves fall, and they persist into the winter.

Using the Diabolo® Ninebark in Your Garden

A tough, reliable plant like this one is a real garden asset. Wherever you need a splash of color, use it. Grow it in shrub beds with other bushes – it really shows well with yellow or variegated plants – and it makes a permanent element as flowers come and go. Use it as a specimen on a small lawn, or plant it by a stream or pond. Grow a row as an informal boundary or screen against an unsightly old fence or wall. Its bold color is always useful, and this plant is very tough and easy to grow.

Hardiness

The Diabolo Ninebark grows best in cooler zones, and it is completely hardy even in zone 3. This makes it very valuable for gardeners in the coldest areas, where it can be relied on to take exposed positions and extreme cold. It does not take the heat and humidity of zone 8 in the southeast so well, but it will grow well in the cooler summers of the north-west. In hot summers the foliage may become a little greenish for a while.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

For the best foliage colors, grow the Diabolo Ninebark in full sun. It will tolerate a little partial shade too, but the leaf color could become more greenish. This plant is very undemanding for soil, and it thrives even in poor soils, such as sandy gravels and urban construction soils. The only requirement is for good drainage – this plant will not grow well in soils that are constantly wet, but it is so tough it will grow in heavy clay, which does hold water for long periods.

Pruning and Maintenance

Free of pests and diseases, and not high in the grazing preferences of deer, this plant is one of the easiest and toughest plants you can grow. It can be trimmed into a hedge if you need to, or left to grow naturally when it will develop an attractive arching form. Older bushes can have a few of their oldest branches removed low down in early spring, before growth begins. This will encourage new shoots and keep your bush vigorous and attractive.

History and Origin of the Diabolo® Ninebark

The Ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, grows naturally all through the eastern states, from New York to Florida. It can be found growing on riverbanks, in gravel areas, and at the edges of woods. Wild plants have greenish-yellow leaves, and for a long time this was the only form grown.

In June of 1968, at Kordes Jungpflanzen, a nursery in Bilsen, Germany, Gunter Kordes and Hans Schadendorf were looking at a field of 120,000 ninebark seedlings they were growing. They spotted one plant with red leaves and separated it from the others. This was the very first red-leaf ninebark ever discovered, thanks to the sharp eyes of those experienced nurserymen. After growing it for a long time to test its reliability, in 2000 it was patented by Monrovia nurseries, of Azusa, California, with the name ‘Monlo’. That patent (PP# 11,211) has now expired, and the tree is sold with the trademark name of Diabolo®.

Buying the Diabolo® Ninebark at The Tree Center

All our plants are grown from stem pieces tracing back to that original special seedling, so they are genetically identical to it, with its fabulous red foliage. This plant remains one of the very best of the ninebarks for your garden, and it is always in high demand. Order now while it is still in stock – good plants sell out fast.

Growing the Center Glow Ninebark

Size and Appearance

The Center Glow Ninebark is a rounded shrub that grows 6 to 8 feet tall and just as wide. With trimming it can be kept a little smaller, but just one plant will have a real impact in your beds. This deciduous shrub has many arching branches rising from its center, and their reddish-brown, peeling bark is attractive in all seasons. In spring the new leaves develop all along the stems, in clusters. These are about 4 inches long, and divided into 3 large lobes, a little like a maple-leaf. When they first emerge they are greenish-gold, but quickly, starting at the outer edges of the leaves, they turn dark red. As the red color floods across the leaf a golden-yellow heart remains at the base of the leaf – the ‘center glow’ of its name. As they mature the leaves become completely red. New leaves that develop later continue to have golden centers, so the ends of the branches show golden touches for most of the season. Many red-leaf ninebarks fade to brownish tones in summer, but this one doesn’t, keeping its warm red color all summer. This makes it one of the most colorful summer bushes you can grow.

In late spring on older branches clusters of pinkish-white flowers develop. These are small, but they are in clusters of many flowers, about 2 inches in diameter, and their profusion creates an attractive 3-week highlight in the growing season of this plant. After flowering, clusters of small, inflated seed pods develop, which are most noticeable in fall, when they turn reddish, lasting after the leaves have fallen.

Using the Center Glow Ninebark in Your Garden

This versatile shrub can be used anywhere in your garden. With its attractive arching form, it looks great on a lawn. Grow it at the back of smaller beds, or in the middle of larger ones, to fill spaces with color and interest. Plant a single plant, or for groups and rows space plants 4 or 5 feet apart. If you have a wooded area, this plant can be grown around the edges, or scattered in sunny clearings. Grow it around your home, in among evergreens. It will add interest, and the color looks great against green foliage. Mix it with shrubs with golden leaves too – their light color will really highlight the rich dark red of the Center Glow Ninebark.

Hardiness

This hardy shrub enjoys cooler climates. It grows without any winter damage in zone 3, and it thrives in all cooler zones – a real garden basic. It will grow in warmer areas too, but it can struggle in the heat and humidity of the south-east, where there are many other choices available.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Grow the Center Glow Ninebark in full sun for the richest foliage coloring. Too much shade will turn it more greenish, and the growth will be less dense. This tough plant will grow just about anywhere, in all kinds of soils. It is very drought resistant, and a great choice for dry, sandy soil in the sun. It doesn’t like places that are always wet, but otherwise you don’t have to worry about your soil – plant with confidence anywhere.

Pruning and Maintenance

The Center Glow Ninebark is extremely easy to grow, and it needs no special care. It has no significant pests or diseases and it asks for nothing. Some people trim it, and it can certainly be clipped into a more compact shape. However, left alone it will take on an attractive arching form, which gives it more of a specimen quality. Once it is older you can remove some of the very oldest branches each spring, before the new growth appears. Cut them out at ground level, opening the crowded branches and making spaces for new growth to develop and rejuvenate your bush.

History and Origin of the Center Glow Ninebark

The Ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, is a native shrub, growing wild in the eastern states, from New York to Florida. It has spread as we spread across the country, and today it can be found growing almost everywhere, and in Canada as well. It grows mostly in gravelly soils, near rivers and on their banks.

Harold Pellett was a professor at the University of Minnesota, and he founded the Landscape Plant Development Center at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum with the goal of developing top-quality cold-hardy landscape plants. In 2001 he crossed two varieties of ninebark, ‘Dart’s Gold’ and Diablo (`monlo`). Among the seedlings he found one with a unique leaf pattern, and after extensive testing he named it ‘Center Glow’. It was patented in 2006.

Buying the Center Glow Ninebark at The Tree Center

This plant cannot be grown from seed, so our plants are grown from stem pieces under license, to ensure they are identical to that unique original plant. We think this is one of the very best ninebarks available, and these tough plants always sell out fast. Don’t hesitate to make your garden more colorful and less work – order now, while we still have this great plant available.

Growing the Little Devil Ninebark

Size and Appearance

The Little Devil Ninebark is a small deciduous shrub growing quickly into an upright, dense bush that is no more than 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. It has dense branching and the leaves are close together along the stems. Depending on the conditions it will grow at least 6 inches a year, and up to 2 feet in a single year when young. The bark is peeling and reddish-brown, showing multiple colors in the peeling layers, from gray to beige, orange and tan. It is this feature that gives these plants their common name of nine barks. The leaves sprout in spring a dark purple color, and that holds well through the summer and into fall – a good, solid purple effect that is stable from spring to early winter. The leaves are about 2 inches long, divided into three lobes a little like a small maple leaf. They are of course along the new growth, but also in clusters on older stems, making for a dense and leafy bush.

In late spring, among the new leaves, clusters of light pink flowers appear, making a bright showing and adding a lovely seasonal touch. After the blossoms fade we don’t really notice, but they develop into unusual inflated seed pods, in clusters. These are green at first but by fall they take on purple tones too, especially where the sun falls on them. They become another ornamental feature once the leaves fall, lasting well through early winter.

Using the Little Devil Ninebark in Your Garden

For a tough little shrub, able to handle the most difficult garden positions, you can’t do better than the Little Devil Ninebark. Use it to fill the front of beds, on banks and slopes, and to brighten semi-natural parts of the garden. Grow it as an edging along a path or driveway, clipped or unclipped. It does clip easily into a tight hedge – space plants at 18 inch or 24 inch intervals for a dense, continuous look.

Hardiness

This is a shrub for all the colder parts of the country, thriving without any winter damage even in zone 3. It grows well everywhere until it meets zone 8, where it is not so suitable.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Full sun will give you the best foliage coloring on the Little Devil Ninebark, but it will take a little shade and still grow well enough. It grows across a wide range of soils, from gravels and sands to clays and urban soils. It grows in both wet and dry soils, and in areas under the black walnut tree, which poisons the soil to many plants. There are few places where this plant will not survive, once it has a little TLC for the first few weeks after planting. It is drought tolerant, and frankly, hard to kill.

Maintenance and Pruning

Pests and diseases very rarely bother the Little Devil Ninebark. Deer only eat it when desperate, and it is generally untroubled. After its release it proved to be resistant to powdery mildew that can bother ninebarks in hot zones. Although it is common to trim this plant, try growing it untrimmed, to develop a more natural, but still small, form. It will become arching and vase-like, and flower more prolifically, making a lovely show – and it’s a lot less work, which is always good.

History and Origin of the Little Devil Ninebark

The ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, grows along river banks and on gravel flats, as well as around the edges of woodlands, all the way through the east, from New York state down to Florida. The most popular variety with purple leaves is Diablo® (‘SMNPOBLR’). which was released in 2000 by Spring Meadow Nursery. David Zlesak, a professor at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, wanted to create a dwarf purple-leaf ninebark. In 2001 he took pollen from the wild dwarf ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius var. nana, and pollinated a plant of Diablo with it. Some of the seedlings had purple leaves and were a smaller size. In 2004 he took pollen from the best of those seedlings and used it on a plant of dwarf ninebark. In the summer of 2005 he was able to select a plant from that batch of seedlings that was very dwarf, with rich purple leaves. He named it ‘Donna May’, and after further trials it was patented in 2012. It is released today under the First® Editions brand.

Buying the Little Devil Ninebark at The Tree Center

Every garden needs tough, reliable plants that just get on with it. This is especially true in cold zones, where winter will soon destroy weaker plants. With the Little Devil Ninebark you don’t need to worry, it’s a survivor. But order right away, as everyone is thinking the same thing, making this one devil of a plant to keep in stock.