Scientific Name: Pysocarpus opulifolius
Common Name(s): Common Ninebark, Atlantic Ninebark, Eastern Ninebark

Photos by Kayla Sayre, Bella Vista POA Fisheries & Water Quality Sr. Technician

Identification:

Ninebark are deciduous, low growing, multi-stemmed shrubs with clustered white flowers and burgundy berries. Ninebark’s name comes from its peeling bark which comes off in large papery strips that are said to resemble the number nine. The shrubs are great for decoration and landscaping because they are low growing, standing between 5 and 8 feet in height with a spread of 4 to 6 feet. It can also form a hedge if left unmaintained.

The flowers of ninebark are circular, arching clusters of small white flowers with each flower being around 0.25 inches with five white petals, yellow centers, and pink hews in the center, stamen, and anther. Flowers bloom in April and May but may bloom as late as June in some regions. The flowers give way to beautiful berries from August to October that are burgundy and clustered in the same manner as the flowers. Once dry, pods hang in drooping clusters with each berry containing two to four compressed seeds. It is not recommended to eat the berries since sources are mixed on whether they are edible or poisonous.

The leaves change color with the season, being bright green in the spring, deep burgundy in the summer, and bronze/brown tinged in the fall. The leaves are one to five inches long with three to five lobes. The leaf type is “lobed toothed” and is similar in appearance to a maple leaf. The leaves are simple or ungrouped and are arranged alternately around the central stem. The leaves contain fine hair on the surface which gives them a rough texture.

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Range:

Common ninebark are found throughout the Central and Eastern United States with the exception of Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas. The precision of the map above is by the State of Province and is not delineated by Counties, Perishes, or smaller units, therefore, Ninebark may not be found in some of the more extreme climates within the States or Provinces.

Ecology:

Ninebark are in the Rose family (Rosaceae) which include other notable shrubs such as black raspberries and blackberries as well as other non-shrubs such as strawberries. It is in the genus Physocarpus, which includes deciduous shrubs with peeling bark and alternately arranged leaves around the stem.

Ninebark is a multifaceted plant in that it can be trimmed and used as a landscaping plant but can also grow to large heights and act as a hedge. They do well in disturbed or harsh conditions such as along streambanks, rocky areas, and disturbed hillsides. They can tolerate dry soil and do well in well-drained soil with a slight amount of moisture. They can also tolerate acidic or alkaline soil, and heavy clay to rocky soil. They do best with some shade but can tolerate full sun. They can grow vertically one to two feet per year, and they also spread through root suckering. Root suckering is when a shrub sends out root shoots near their current location that helps spread the shrub into surrounding areas. This feature is especially helpful in the context of erosion control, since the root system will spread readily throughout disturbed habitats and act as a soil stabilizer. They are especially great for streambank stabilization or rocky hillsides.

Ninebark is attractive to many native pollinators including short and long tongued bees and mining bees. They are the host plant to many moth species including Io moth (Automeris io), glorious habrosyne (Habrosyne gloriosa), bluish spring moth (Lomographa semiclarata), and the large maple spanworm (Prochoerodes lineola).

Ninebark shrubs are monoecious where male and female parts are on the same shrub; however, they are self-infertile. A plant that is self-infertile cannot self-pollinate and requires another individual in the same species to pollinate it. Male and female flowers bloom incrementally, and three plants are needed for reliable fruiting.

Special Notes:

In Bella Vista, ninebark can be seen along forest margins or in disturbed habitats such as rocky hillsides. Ninebark is a beautiful native shrub. It is a great alternative to some landscaping non-native shrubs such as crape myrtle, boxwoods, or Chinese privet.