Audubon® Native Ninebark

Eastern Ninebark is a nifty native Accent with much to offer wildlife and nature-lovers alike. Most striking are the white, half-snowball flower clusters that adorn the arching branches in late spring. These pollination platforms attract native bees such as mining bees, as well as beneficial wasps, flies, and butterflies. Birds may graze on the seeds that form later on, and they also forage for caterpillars within the leafy canopy. The spring azure butterfly lays its eggs on Ninebark, as do several moth species, like the Ninebark pigmy, the white spring moth, and the unicorn caterpillar. A wonderful, welcoming shrub!

Ninebark is popular right now, thanks to a plethora of purple-leaved forms that have flooded the market in recent years. Many of these selections are fantastic plants, but their intense purple color can be a little jarring in naturalistic landscapes. In these situations, it’s nice to get back to the original. Our green-leaved Eastern Ninebark is a subtler beauty that’s found in the wild throughout much of the eastern U.S. A lover of cool climates, it’s most common in the Midwest and New England. Ninebark gets its name from its flaky, multihued stems. As they expand, they peel and appear to reveal several (nine) layers of bark.

A fast-growing fountain of a shrub, Eastern Ninebark quickly creates fine nesting habitat for songbirds. The twiggy branches and leafy cover appeal to thicket-dwelling birds, such as song sparrows, cardinals, indigo buntings, catbirds, mockingbirds, and brown thrashers.