Common Ninebark

Common ninebark is the eastern native shrub that has been transformed by cultivar selection from a modest, green, suckering shrub into one of the most popular colored-foliage plants in modern landscape design. The species form is green and unremarkable. 'Diabolo' (syn. 'Monlo') changed everything: deep burgundy-purple foliage through the entire growing season, white to pinkish flower clusters in June, and exfoliating bark that adds winter texture. 'Center Glow' starts golden and matures to red. 'Tiny Wine' stays compact. Native from Quebec to Minnesota and south to Virginia and Arkansas.

In Western Washington, common ninebark performs well in full sun to part shade. The purple-leaved cultivars need full sun to maintain their color, in shade, they revert to green. It tolerates a range of soils including clay and handles wet conditions better than most ornamental shrubs. Several diseases are tracked, including powdery mildew on some cultivars. Good air circulation reduces the problem. The suckering habit can be managed by removing unwanted shoots. For a tough, adaptable shrub with season-long purple foliage and no chemical inputs, 'Diabolo' and its offspring have earned their place in the regional palette.