Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of several shrubs of the genus Physocarpus of the rose family, especially P. opulifolius of eastern North America, having peeling or shredding bark and clusters of small white flowers.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Any flowering plant of the genus Physocarpus.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From the many layers in its bark.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

nine +‎ bark, because the bark separates into many thin layers.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word ninebark.

Examples

  • One of my first targets was a redbud tree (Cercis canadensis) that had grown to about 12 feet high and six feet across, crowding out the ninebark bush on its right side and witch hazel tree on the left.

    Fear of Pruning Bart Ziegler 2010

  • Trying to grab your attention in the above shot is a stray branch from the ninebark Summer Wine.

    Ornamental Edibles Or Pretty Tasty « Fairegarden 2008

  • On the hotter end of the scale, the crocosmia and purple ninebark really sizzle.

    July Bloom Day 2008-A Wide Variety « Fairegarden 2008

  • The tightly held flower buds of a new to us ninebark, physocarpus ‘Summer Wine’.

    Randomness « Fairegarden 2008

  • The last leaves of the Summer Wine ninebark contrast with the Karl Foerster grass, a small butterfly bush standard to the left and the fading purple feather grass on the right.

    Changing The Settings or Macro And Zoom « Fairegarden 2008

  • The last two flowers of crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ look striking against the foliage of ninebark ‘Summer Wine’, Physocarpus opulifolious ‘Summer Wine’, in the black garden.

    July Bloom Day 2008-A Wide Variety « Fairegarden 2008

  • I stuck it in the white/yellow garden for now, it really needs something dark for contrast though, maybe by the ninebark Summer Wine.

    Arachnomuhly or Webs Of Grass « Fairegarden 2008

  • Color for hot dry spots: yarrow; Shasta daisy; threadleaf coreopsis; dianthus; coneflowers; blanketflower; daylily; silver grass; switchgrass; fountain grass; beardtongue; salvia; Russian sage; sedum; rugosa rose; lilac; spirea; purple ninebark; sumac; barberry; bluebeard, or caryopteris; smokebush; hawthorn; ginkgo; and honey locust.

    HeraldTimesOnline.com 2010

  • • Coppertina ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Mindia')

    The Seattle Times 2010

  • Outside the center the Department of Conservation gave away trees: wild plum, false indigo, ninebark, elderberry and redbud, a package of dogwoods arrived right at the last.

    Neosho Daily News Homepage RSS 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.