If you’ve seen any small white bouquet-shaped clusters of flowers peeking out from your neighbors gardens or next to riverbanks this summer, you might have encountered the ever-resilient and ever-beautiful Physocarpus opulifolius or ninebark. Focusing on the eastern variety, ninebark gets its name from its exfoliating bark that peels back like rose petals as it ages. Just as its bark peels like a rose, this shrub is also in the rose family but lacks the thorns that are commonly associated with roses. Ninebark is an especially hardy shrub that is able to withstand many different soil and water conditions. However, this plant does its best when planted in moist soil with good drainage in early spring or fall season. Once it’s planted (and watered early on if placed in a drier area), this plant is able to maintain itself with little maintenance for up to 50 years.

A few ninebark blooms surrounded by green ninebark leaves.

Physocarpus opulifolius (ninebark) blooms (Photo Credit: Ryan Davis).

This versatile shrub displays a new appearance with every season: In the springtime, ninebark covers itself in deep red leaves and light pink buds. In the summer, those buds blossom into striking white flowers and the leaves turn green. In the fall, the flowers give way to ruby red berries that birds can feast on and some of the leaves begin to take on a chartreuse appearance. Finally, in the winter as the leaves fall and the remaining berries hang, the peeling bark (which comes in many different shades of brown), is in full display. Luckily, this plant is perennial, meaning its lovely displays come and go year round. There are other varieties of common ninebark that showcase an even wider range of colors, but it’s important that native species are prioritized because of how vital they are for pollinating insects, birds and other animals.

If you see something blooming, leafing out, ripening, or otherwise changing in your woods, send us photos (forestsforthebay@gmail.com) to include in next month’s Forests for the Bay newsletter for more phenological fun!

This month’s What’s Poppin’ was written by 2024 Environmental Projects Intern, Alex DeBuclet.