Eastern Ninebark, Atlantic Ninebark
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Densely branched, upright-spreading, arching, rounded to mounded habit, 5-10' tall & wide. Forms a mound of dense, tangled stems. A medium to fast grower. Usually lives about 50-100 years.

Native Range

Kentucky Native — Native to northern Kentucky, and from Quebec to Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan & Minnesota. Found in bogs, forests, on moist limestone cliffs, near ponds, creek banks, and even in dry areas of the northern and central U.S. Introduced in 1687.

Flower and Fruit Details

Monoecious flowers in flat-topped corymbs, 1-2" across, each flower 1/4-1/3" diameter, 5-petaled, white or w/ pinkish tinge, w/ about 30 purplish stamens. Blooms in May, into June, w/ an unusual fragrance. Fruits are capsule-like, made up of 3-5 inflated follicles, each 1/4", red or pinkish at first, eventually turning brown, in dense, umbrella-like clusters, in August/September, then persisting through winter until March.

Leaf and Bark Features

Deciduous: Leaves alternate, simple, roundish-ovate, 1-3" long & half as wide, w/ 3-5 palmate lobes (terminal larger), w/ a serrated margin, yellowish-green in color, changing to yellow to bronze or maroon-purple. Not outstanding. Petiole 1/4-3/4" long. Foliage usually holds until late October. Notable Bark: Young twigs slender and smooth, w/ 3 distinct longitudinal ridges below leaf scars. Older bark exfoliates in thin strips or papery sheets, somewhat ragged, gray-brown w/ orange-brown inner bark. Supposedly has 9 layers of exfoliating bark, thus the name.

Culture and Care

Tolerates flooding, wet or dry sites, sandy, rocky or clay soils, alkaline pH, but needs full sun to light shade. Tolerates pH 6.1-8.5. Extremely cold-hardy; Zone 2-7. May get iron chlorosis at high soil pH. Otherwise, does well in low-fertility soils. Easy to transplant. Adapted to tough sites. Resistant to heat, drought and soil compaction. Old plants may be rejuvenated by cutting to the ground in late winter/early spring while still dormant. No serious insect or disease problems, except powdery mildew, which is often a problem.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

3-season interest: Spring, summer & fall.

Suggested Uses

Coarse textured, but could be used in mass plantings, borders or screening. The straight species is not highly ornamental for home landscape use, but cultivars offer more promise due to their colors & ornamental features.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA