Common Ninebark (Atlantic Ninebark) or Physocarpus opulifolius is a shrub that feeds butterflies and birds
Ninebark, Physocarpus, is a deciduous, American-native shrub in the Rose family that succeeds in difficult locations, including hillsides, moist thickets, river side bars, and thin-soil rocky areas with wet and dry conditions. It thrives in half shade or sun, too. USDA Plants Profile Native to central and eastern U.S., it is cold hardy from zone 2 to 8. At maturity, it will grow up to 5 or 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide and can work as part of a windbreak hedgerow. Oklahoma BioSurvey points out that Ninebark can grow up to 10 feet tall. As for it's Latin names - Physocarpus means bladder fruit; opulifolius refers to a similarity in appearance of ninebark and Viburnum opulus leaves, an imported European ornamental shrub. The pink and white flowers show up from May to June depending on your zone and weather. The flowers are top notch nectar and the red, winter fruit is loved by finches, wrens, thrushes, robins, sparrows and chickadees. We bought a bundle...