Pacific Ninebark

Physocarpus capitatus

balls of small white fuzzy looking flowers

a shrub with peeling bark and white flower clusters

Plant Description

Pacific ninebark is an attractive deciduous shrub native to riparian zones, wetlands, and moist forests of western North America. It typically grows 5–15 feet tall, with elegant arching branches and lobed, maple-like leaves that turn yellow to red in fall. In late spring to early summer it produces dense, snowballs of small white to pinkish flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, followed by reddish seed capsules. The bark peels in thin layers, giving the shrub its name ‘ninebark.’ Ecologically, Pacific ninebark is important for stabilizing streambanks, providing cover for birds and small mammals, and supporting pollinator networks in wetland and riparian ecosystems. Ninebark prefers moist areas and stream sides and can tolerate full sun to full shade.

Plant Details

Life Forms	Shrub
Habitats	Bottomland forests Floodplains Forest edges Forest openings Forest understories Gardens Lakes Little Habitats Marshes Mixed hardwood-conifer forests Ponds Residential yards Riparian areas Riparian forests Rivers Seeps Streams Swamps Waterways Wetlands Woodlands
Soil and Moisture Conditions	Moist to wet
Special Uses	Attracts birds Attracts pollinators and or other beneficial insects Autumn color Blooms July Blooms June Blooms May Deciduous Erosion control Flowering Flowers white Good for shady woodland garden Hedgerow Ornamental Perennial Produces fruit Produces nectar Produces pollen Produces seeds Provides soil stabilization Provides wildlife habitat Restoration/revegetation Woody
Shade Preference	Full shade Full sun Part shade
Mature Height	6-12’