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Diabolo Ninebark – A Useful Shrub with Intense Foliage Color

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Purple Ninebark

Diabolo Ninebark is a large, drought tolerant deciduous shrub with intense reddish-purple color.  Ninebark has been around for a while but I had not used it before in any of my designs or in my own garden.  Thanks to Stefan at Arbor Valley Nursery for recommending this versatile plant!

I was looking for a large shrub that would provide screening along the inside of an open-rail fence.  I wanted something that could handle the full sun and dry conditions, and that would get large enough to provide the screening that the client desired.  Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius) was my first choice, but in a 5 gallon size it was very small and spindly, and it is a slow grower- my client wanted some impact right way (note the size in the photo).  Diabolo Ninebark provided the perfect solution.

PLANT STATS
Scientific Name:  Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’
Plant Type:  Deciduous Shrub
Mature Height:  6-8′
Mature Spread:  6-8′
Water Requirement:  Low
Exposure:  Sun (will handle part shade, but is said to have the best color in full sun).
Best Features:  Intense foliage color.
Flowers:  Clusters of creamy white flowers in mid summer.
Winter Interest:  Limited.  Bark tends to peel, which can be interesting.
Disadvantages:  None known to me.
Availability and Sizes:  Readily available for retail and wholesale purchase.  Typically found in a 5 gallon container size.
Other:  I think this plant would be a great replacement for Purple Leaf Plum, which requires more water, is susceptible to disease problems, and (in my opinion) is somewhat overused.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.


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Going from “builder bushes” to an Attractive and Unique Landscape

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We just completed our latest residential project in Arvada and I thought I would share some photos of the project:

Notice the overgrown and poorly placed shrubs that the builder had originally put in (in the “before” slides).  Not much thought went into the original plant selection.  I can’t blame the builder entirely, as they typically hire a landscape company to knock out a bunch of inexpensive landscapes in one fell swoop.  But this goes to show that a poor landscape design can have a negative lasting impact on a builder/developer’s image.  It may have looked OK the day it was installed, but they chose plants that were too large for the space- not to mention downright boring.  A couple of rows of 4 shrubs of the same species doesn’t cut it if you want to be competitive today with buyers and homeowners.

With our help, the owners now have a well thought-out landscape that will also require less maintenance and water.  No more mowing and trimming all that sod right up against the back fence-  instead they can enjoy plantings and a water feature to look at out their back window and from their deck!

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.


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