Ninebark 'Andre'

Ninebark 'Andre' (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Andre') is the dark note a garden so often lacks. The young leaves flare bright red, then deepen through wine-red, purple and bronze, and in early summer the shrub is covered with white-pink flower clusters - the contrast is striking.

It reaches about 2 m in height and as much across within 5-10 years, takes clipping well and shrugs off hard frost. Use it for hedges and screens, in town and cottage gardens, where the dark foliage sets off paler neighbours - grasses, white hydrangeas, silver conifers. Prune it right after flowering.

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: The common name ninebark comes from the bark itself: on older branches it peels away in strips, revealing several layers of reddish-brown inner bark.
• Dimensions: In 5-10 years it forms a dense shrub 1.5-2.5 m tall and just as wide.
• Hardiness: Exceptional winter hardiness - it takes temperatures down to -40 °C (USDA zone 2).
• Flowering: In May-June the shrub is decorated with delicate white-pink corymbs.
• Light: Plant it in sun or partial shade - it holds its richest, darkest foliage in full sun.
• Soil: It is happiest on slightly acidic or neutral, moderately fertile, humus-rich soil; on shallow chalk chlorosis can appear.
• Watering: Water moderately: soil moist but well drained - the shrub rides out dry spells calmly.
• Care: Prune right after flowering (pruning group 2); an old bush is easily rejuvenated by cutting it back almost to ground level.
• Landscape use: Excellent in hedges and screens, in city and cottage gardens, and in massed plantings in a shrub border.