How to Grow a Fireside Ninebark Shrub

Updated: Jun. 06, 2024

Draw in wildlife and enjoy gorgeous foliage through the seasons with a fireside ninebark shrub. This native plant fits into small spaces.

Bring striking sights to any landscape year-round with a mildew-resistant cultivar of native ninebark. It’s perfect for a pollinator garden or any small space where you need a punch of color. Here’s why you should plant a fireside ninebark shrub in your yard.

Grow brandywine viburnum for tie-dye berry clusters.

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Fireside Ninebark Shrub Care

Before you pick out a spot for this shrub, here are a few key things to know.

Common name: Fireside ninebark
Botanical name: Physocarpus opulifolius
Zones: 3 to 7
Light needs: Full sun
Size: 5 to 7 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide

Pinkish white bloom clusters appear in spring and red fruits show up in fall. Psst—never plant these invasive shrubs (and what to grow instead!)

But the constantly changing foliage is the true wow factor on this ninebark shrub—its red leaves mature to reddish purple until fall, when they transform to dark purple.

Ninebark Shrub Benefits

ninebark prairie warbler — Prairie warbler perched in a ninebark shrub

Fireside ninebark is versatile and can shine in a number of outdoor settings—use it within mixed borders, as an informal hedge or as a privacy plant. This ninebark pulls double duty in spring with delicate flowers that attract butterflies, while birds such as finches and sparrows nest among the foliage.

More Ninebark Shrub Cultivars to Try

New cultivars with colorful foliage have moved this native plant out of the back border and into the spotlight. Other colorful cultivars to try include Ginger Wine, Little Devil and Amber Jubilee.

Whether you have a small outdoor space or want to brighten up a bare corner, add compact Little Joker ninebark (zones 4 to 8). Pale pink flower clusters on burgundy stems bloom in spring and summer before deep purple foliage with jewel green undertones takes over. It’s also mildew resistant and cold tolerant.

If you’re looking for a shrub with lots of fall and winter interest, go for Tiny Wine ninebark. Mature stems on the deciduous plant peel back to expose red and light brown inner bark. It grows up to 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, does best in full sun and adapts to most soil types.

Next, check out more beautiful white flowering shrubs.

Sources

First Edition Plants

Originally Published: June 13, 2022

Author

Kaitlin Stainbrook

Kaitlin Stainbrook has been writing about birding and gardening for nearly a decade. While the associate editor of Birds & Blooms magazine, she dove deep into all aspects of birding and gardening and worked closely with experts in the field. She continues to learn all she can about birding and gardening, and is always looking for houseplants he...

Reviewer

Melinda Myers

Melinda Myers is a nationally known, award-winning garden expert, speaker, TV/radio host and author of more than 20 books. She is the instructor for The Great Courses How to Grow Anything DVD and Instant Video series and host of the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moments TV and Radio segments. With a master’s degree in horticulture and ...

Fact Checker

Rachel Maidl

Rachel Maidl is a former senior editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. She enjoys bird-watching in her urban backyard and local state parks, gardening for pollinators and researching new plants. Her favorite backyard visitors are the bumblebees that visit her sedums.