# common ninebark (*Physocarpus opulifolius*) Common ninebark is a lovely shrub that has pretty leaves and fluffy white flowers in spring. It can grow tall and is great for gardens, attracting butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![common ninebark](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/0_Physocarpus_opulifolius_-_Samo%C3%ABns.JPG&width=800) Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:0_Physocarpus_opulifolius_-_Samo%C3%ABns.JPG) ## Appearance The common ninebark is a medium to large shrub with distinctive peeling, shaggy bark in shades of brown and reddish-brown. It has clusters of small white to pinkish flowers and green leaves that often turn purple or bronze in fall. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Physocarpus ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples traditionally used ninebark for some medicinal purposes! - Its tough roots help prevent soil erosion on riverbanks and hillsides! - The plant’s strong branches were once used to make bows and arrow shafts! - You can find ninebark growing naturally from Canada all the way to Florida! ## Special abilities - **Peeling Protection:** Common ninebark has bark that peels in layers, helping it shed disease and adapt to harsh weather changes to survive. - **Pollinator Beacon:** Its clusters of small white flowers attract various bees and other insects, helping it reproduce by spreading pollen. - **Tough Root Anchor:** Ninebark develops a strong root system that helps anchor soil, preventing erosion along riverbanks and slopes. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 150-300 cm - **Spread:** 150-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [white-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer often browse on the foliage and twigs. - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Honey bees visit flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** [American robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Robins consume the small red fruit (follicles). - **Pollinates:** [common eastern bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Bumble bees are important pollinators of its flowers. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay on paths when exploring plants and don't eat anything without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common ninebark? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is common ninebark? 150-300 cm ### How wide does common ninebark spread? 150-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on common ninebark? 0.5-1 cm ### When does common ninebark bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is common ninebark edible? No ### Is common ninebark toxic? Mild ### What is common ninebark's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Boerner Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boerner-botanical-gardens) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Derryfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/derryfield-park) — New Hampshire, US · Park - [Miami Whitewater Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/miami-whitewater-forest) — Ohio, US · Park - [Richard Bong State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/richard-bong-state-recreation-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [South Newbury Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-newbury-village-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [DuPont State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dupont-state-forest) — North Carolina, US · Forest [View all places to see common ninebark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-ninebark) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Ninebark: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-ninebark)