great shrub: physocarpus opulifolius

I T’S THE ONE EVERYONE ASKS ABOUT whenever I have tours; the one that everyone thinks is a Viburnum but isn’t. Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo,’ the big, maroon-leaved form of ninebark, is a great shrub: easy and showy over a long season, a giant fountain-shaped creature that attracts attention even from a distance. But it’s not the only variety I grow…there are others. Physocarpus opulifolius: Second in a series on great shrubs. Physocarpus are called ninebark because of their exfoliating bark, a trait that’s listed as an ornamental feature in catalogs and reference books, but frankly I say hmmmm….at least to that part of the good p.r. around these plants the last few years. Yes, the bark peels, but ninebarks can be a bit rangy so don’t expect the textural and sculptural winter beauty of a Stewartia or Kousa dogwood or lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana). I wouldn’t put this right by my door in the place of 365-day honor, much as I love the plant, a native (in its plain green form) of the eastern United States. White flowerheads in May-into-June fade to reddish-pink seedheads (above) that look especially nice against the wine-colored leaves, almost as if the plant blooms twice.

Long before I grew ‘Diablo’ (the name on its tag, but which I later learned is ‘Diabolo’) I brought a rooted cutting of the golden-leaf form of Physocarpus (above), called ‘Dart’s Gold,’ home from Western Hills Nursery in Northern California. Or at least I thought it was ‘Dart’s Gold.’

But like ‘Diablo,’ my so-called ‘Dart’s Gold’ got really big in time, like 10 by 10 feet or even wider; the labels say otherwise, that it gets to just 5 feet or so. I suspect my gold one is just ‘Luteus,’ or maybe ‘Luteus’ and ‘Dart’s Gold’ are the same thing, who knows?

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