Overview
Uses: Hedges, specimen plantings, mixed borders, and pollinator gardens.
Benefits: Nearly black, finely cut foliage on arching stems, with pink-white flower clusters in late spring. One of the darkest ninebarks for contrast in the landscape.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–7
Sun: Full Sun
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Upright, Arching — graceful, full habit.
Bloom Color: White and Pink
Foliage Color: Deep Purple
Mature Height: 5–6 feet
Mature Width: 4–5 feet
Bloom Season: Late spring to early summer
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
About as close to black as garden foliage gets.
Summer Wine® Black carries finely cut, nearly black leaves on upright stems that arch gracefully at the tips. The fine texture keeps all that dark color from feeling heavy, and the plant grows into a full shrub about 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide.
In late spring, rounded clusters of pink-white flowers open along the branches. Against the dark leaves they read almost luminous, and bees and butterflies visit them steadily. The flowers last into early summer.
Its real value is contrast. Planted behind chartreuse, silver, or white-flowered plants, it makes everything in front of it look brighter, and a single plant gives a sunny border a strong anchor. After the leaves fall, older stems show ninebark's peeling, layered bark through winter.
Care
Summer Wine® Black Ninebark Care
Plant in full sun for the darkest foliage. In partial shade the plant still grows, but the leaves lose much of their depth and turn greener.
Ninebark adapts to clay, rocky ground, and ordinary garden beds, and prefers well-drained soil over spots that stay wet. It handles slightly dry sites with ease once established.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. Established plants tolerate dry spells well. Water at the base rather than over the foliage, and give plants room for air to circulate, which helps limit powdery mildew in humid summers.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in early spring is plenty, and plants in reasonable soil often need none.
Ninebark blooms on the previous year's growth, so prune right after flowering. Each year or two, remove a few of the oldest stems at the base; the new shoots that replace them carry the darkest leaves. An overgrown plant can be cut back hard in late winter and will regrow, though it will skip that year's flowers.
Size
What Size is the Summer Wine® Black Ninebark for Sale Online?
Our Summer Wine® Black Ninebark ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Summer Wine® Black Ninebark Grow?
Expect about 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide at maturity, in an upright shape with arching tips. Space plants about 4 to 5 feet apart for an informal hedge.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Summer Wine® Black Ninebark?
The botanical name is Physocarpus opulifolius Summer Wine® Black. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub selected for its very dark, finely cut foliage.
What are some common names for this plant?
It is usually called common ninebark, or simply ninebark. The name comes from the bark on older stems, which peels away in many thin layers.
Is Summer Wine® Black Ninebark a native plant?
It is a selection of Physocarpus opulifolius, which is native across much of eastern and central North America. Selections like this one are often called nativars: they keep the flowers and pollinator value of the native species while adding ornamental traits such as dark foliage. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
Will the foliage stay dark all season?
In full sun, it holds its deep, near-black color from spring through fall. Light is the deciding factor: with less than about six hours of direct sun, the leaves gradually take on more green.
How is it different from Tiny Wine®?
Tiny Wine® is a compact ninebark, about 3 to 4 feet, with bronze-maroon leaves. Summer Wine® Black is taller at 5 to 6 feet, has an arching habit, and carries much darker, more finely cut foliage, making it the stronger choice when you want a bold dark accent. For more options, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
