PLANT PRIMER Tiny Wine ninebark
Light: full sun to partial shade
Height: 3-4 feet
Spread: 3-4 feet
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Origin: hybrid from native North American plant
Talk about a useful cutie, the Tiny Wine ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘SMPOTW’ Tiny Wine) is a versatile shrub that provides multiple seasons of garden interest.
This upright, mounding shrub has exfoliating bark, showing off red- to light-brown inner bark. The exfoliating bark is where the common name originates.
The dark burgundy/maroon foliage is a three-lobed leaf with a finely serrated edge. The leaves have a look similar to a maple but are petite (about 1-inch long).
Flower clusters of white- to lightpink appear in the spring. This is a good shrub for small home gardens where space is at a premium, as the thriller in a mixed-container garden or planted in a row to create a thick hedge.
The foliage color, flowers and exfoliating bark give Tiny Wine ninebark multiple seasons of garden interest.
See Tiny Wine ninebark near the Rainbow Arch at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
— Barbara Arnold
Franklin Park Conservatory