American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Big lacy flower heads in summer give way to purple-black berries for both birds and your kitchen.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
- Home
- Plant guide
- Ninebark
White to pink
Shrub
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
An adaptable, four-season shrub with spring flowers, colorful foliage, and peeling winter bark.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwestthe Great Plains
Growing Ninebark
About the toughest native shrub there is — wet or dry, sun or part shade, clay or rock. Wild green-leaved forms feed pollinators better than dark cultivars. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, easy to grow, good fall color, and good for winter interest.
Where it grows
Ninebark is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas and 30 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Ninebark on 40 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Ninebark
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Ninebark’s range and conditions.
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Spherical white 'pincushion' flowers over standing water, swarmed by butterflies and bees.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
A bulletproof hedge shrub with white spring flowers, blue fall berries, and burgundy autumn leaves.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
A low, spreading shrub that blankets dry banks and blazes scarlet and orange in fall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr