Pacific ninebark
Physocarpus capitatus
The name 'ninebark' comes from the belief that its bark peels into nine distinct, papery layers, which helps the plant shed epiphytes and pests.
- Scientific name
- Physocarpus capitatus
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Rosales › Rosaceae › Physocarpus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Riparian zones, moist forest edges, wetlands, and stream banks.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
- Range
- British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Idaho
- Size
- 1 to 4 meters (3 to 13 feet) tall
- Lifespan
- 20 to 50 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Urban development, stream channelization, and displacement by invasive weeds like Himalayan blackberry.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Pacific ninebark is safe to touch and admire. When encountering it along streams, remain on designated trails to avoid trampling the sensitive riparian soils it works so hard to protect.
Physocarpus capitatus , commonly called Pacific ninebark or tall ninebark , is a species of Physocarpus native to western North America from southern Alaska east to Montana and Utah, and south to southern California.
Photo: no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist
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