Episode 61 – Autumn leaves abound. Here’s how to use them to your advantage.

Why? Because while Tiny Wine ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is smaller than typical ninebarks – 3-5’ tall and wide rather than the more typical 6-8’ – what’s really small about it is its leaves. They are about half the size of regular ninebark leaves, which does two things: one, they give Tiny Wine ninebark a unique, highly textured look and two, those tiny leaves mean there’s virtually nothing to clean up when it drops its leaves in fall.

Tiny Wine ninebark boasts the appealing red-purple foliage that’s typical of dark-leaf ninebarks, and a distinct upright habit of fine, upright branches, which further accentuates the textural effect of the small leaves. It’s a selection of the North American native physocarpus, which gets its common name “ninebark” from its peeling bark which reveals multiple layers. Whether there are nine layers or not, your mileage may vary, but who doesn’t love a good poetic common name?

Generally speaking, plants with colorful foliage all season don’t usually take on good fall color, but Tiny Wine ninebark is an exception. In autumn, its red-purple foliage turns bright red, looking almost lit from within. In spring, it is covered in round clusters of white flowers with pink pollen. And while that may not sound like much, it makes a substantial impact on the overall look of the blooms, which you tend to perceive as pink.

Who: Tiny Wine ninebark was developed right here in West Michigan as part of our ninebark breeding program. Ninebarks are an interesting plant – they kind of came out of nowhere about twenty years ago with the introduction the first dark-leafed variety, ‘Diabolo’ (not Diablo, like many people mistakenly think). And while our plain green native physocarpus is very vigorous and disease resistant, once those first dark leafed varieties hit the market, it was clear they were magnets for powdery mildew, especially if they were planted in less than full sun, and/or spaced closely to their neighbors or a structure. That’s why we have made powdery mildew resistance the focus of our ninebark breeding program here, trialing them in the greenhouse, field, and in a low-lying swampy spot in our trial garden. Though it does appear that all dark and gold leafed ninebarks have some degree of susceptibility if planted in shady spots or areas with poor air circulation and frequent wetting from irrigation systems, we work to make sure Proven Winners ninebark varieties are as resistant and vigorous as possible. 

How to Grow: Ninebarks are full sun plants – that’s how you’ll get the best foliage color, the most flowers, and the least amount of powdery mildew. They are quite drought tolerant once they are established, but if they become very stressed, they also become more susceptible to powdery mildew. Pruning ninebarks is a topic that confuses many, and my stance is that they are best left unpruned. Pruning messes with their naturally graceful habit, causing witches broom-type branching where many branches are clustered closely together. It’s best to plant according to the full mature height and width so you don’t need to prune except for perhaps an occasional rejuvenation when they are 8-10 years old or so. If you do want to prune ninebark, they bloom on old wood, so should only be pruned after they flower. The seedpods can be quite attractive, so bear in mind that pruning will remove them.

Finally, one last word of advice: if your ninebark gets powdery mildew, do your best to clean up the fallen foliage in autumn. The spores overwinter on that fallen foliage, and can readily reinfect the plant the following spring if conditions are right, so taking the time to clean them out and discard them goes a long way toward a healthier, happier plant.

If you’d like to add Tiny Wine ninebark – or any of the 320+ Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs – to your garden or landscape, you’ll find a list of local retailers here.