Summer Wine® Rosé Ninebark

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-4 Feet

Mature Spread

3-4 Feet

Growing Zones

3 to 7

Summer Wine® Rosé ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘SMNPOFT’) is a broad, arching framework shrub that carries color without relying on bloom alone. The canopy settles into a 5–8 foot height and similar spread, with fine-cut leaves that hold a deep purple tone through the growing season. In late spring, the branches are traced with soft pink flower clusters, followed by pink-tinged buds and inflated seed capsules that keep the plant visually active after flowering. We use it when a planting needs a dark “middle layer” that still feels airy instead of blocky.

Its branching pattern naturally creates negative space, letting perennials and grasses peek through the shrub instead of disappearing behind it. The lobed leaves and peeling bark (as it matures) supply texture that keeps winter structure from going flat. Because the species is North American native and notably adaptable, it works in contemporary mixed borders as readily as it does in looser, habitat-forward layouts. Set it behind a foreground of meadow perennials to anchor the composition, or let it stand slightly off-center as a counterweight to lighter greens and silvers. In large containers, it functions as a seasonal backbone, giving scale to underplantings that would otherwise feel temporary.

Summer Wine® Rosé Ninebark Care

Plant with the root flare just above finished grade and avoid burying the crown under mulch. Full sun produces the strongest foliage color and best bloom, and good air movement helps maintain its naturally clean leaves. Light shade is tolerated but softens both color and floral density. Soil pH isn’t a limiting factor, and it accepts clay, loam, and leaner ground as long as drainage is reasonable. During establishment, water deeply when the top couple inches of soil have dried, then taper to occasional soaking in extended dry spells once roots have moved out. A single application of slow-release fertilizer for woody plants in early spring is sufficient in most gardens, and many sites won’t need supplemental feeding at all.

Prune with restraint so the shrub can keep its arching lines. If shaping is necessary, do it immediately after flowering, or thin a portion of the oldest stems at the base in late winter to open the center and renew vigor. Every few years, a more decisive renewal cut on selected older canes restores proportion without turning the plant into a clipped block.

Summer Wine® Rosé Ninebark Spacing

Allow 6–8 feet between plants when you want the full arc of the branches; close spacing creates a denser screen but reduces the layered effect. For a container, plan on a substantial vessel (roughly 24 inches wide or larger) so the root volume matches the shrub’s scale and the planting doesn’t tip visually or physically. Pair it with upright switchgrass, pale coneflower, and Russian sage to emphasize depth through contrasting line, flower form, and light-reflective foliage.

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