Eastern Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)

Description: Deciduous North American shrub - White or pinkish clusters of flowers in late spring followed by reddish fruits in the fall; bark of older stems exfoliates into papery strips exposing a rich brown inner bark which is quite attractive.
Habit: Grows 5 to 10 feet in height and spreads 6 to 10 feet.
Culture: Adaptable to difficult situations, drought tolerant, and can grow in full sun or part shade. Renew by cutting to the ground in late winter. Easily transplanted.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 2 through 7
Origin: North America
Attributes: Attracts birds and bees, drought tolerant, winter interest

Eastern Ninebark grows from Quebec to Virginia, Tennessee, and Michigan. A member of the rose family, it resembles Spirea in character and forms a dense, fast-growing shrub for naturalistic shrub borders. Philadelphia nurserymen John Bartram and Bernard McMahon, and the Prince Nurseries on Long Island, each included this unusual native shrub in their plant lists around the turn of the 19th century.