Ginger Wine® Ninebark – Orange-to-Burgundy Foliage Shrub

Ginger Wine® Ninebark: Warm Spring Color, Rich Burgundy Foliage

Ginger Wine® Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) brings changing foliage color and a graceful, arching shape to sunny landscapes. New spring leaves emerge in orange tones before deepening to burgundy, creating a colorful backdrop for flowers and green-leaved companions.

Picture warm new growth brightening a mixed border, followed by white flower clusters in late spring to early summer and decorative red seed heads afterward. In winter, mature peeling bark adds another layer of interest after this deciduous shrub drops its leaves.

Why Choose Ginger Wine®?

• Changing foliage: Orange-toned new growth matures toward burgundy; color varies with sunlight and growing conditions.
• White seasonal blooms: Flower clusters add contrast in late spring to early summer.
• Arching habit: Suits informal hedges, mixed borders, and specimen planting.
• Winter texture: Peeling mature bark offers interest beyond the growing season.
• Native-species selection: A cultivated selection of North American native ninebark, rather than an unnamed wild-type plant.
• Improved disease resistance: The breeder describes good powdery-mildew resistance, not immunity to disease.

Growing Zones & Mature Size

• USDA zones: 3–7, following Proven Winners' cultivar-specific guidance.
• Mature size: Approximately 5–6 feet tall and wide, depending on conditions and care.
• Placement: Allow room for the natural arching spread. A broad border or informal hedge is a better fit than a tight strip requiring frequent shearing.
• Seasonal habit: Deciduous, so it does not provide evergreen winter screening.

Light, Soil & Water

• Light: Full sun, at least 6 hours daily, gives the strongest growth and foliage color. Part sun is possible but may produce less colorful foliage.
• Soil: Adaptable to most soil types. Choose a site with suitable drainage rather than persistently waterlogged roots.
• Water: Monitor moisture during establishment and water as needed. Established plants tolerate a range of moisture levels, but low water needs do not mean a newly planted shrub can be neglected.
• Mulch: Mulch can help moderate soil moisture; keep it clear of the crown and stems.

Available Nursery Sizes

Choose 1 Gallon or 3 Gallon. These labels describe offered nursery-container sizes, not mature dimensions or guaranteed delivery heights. Foliage color, flowers, and seed heads at delivery vary with season and plant development.

Pruning & Ongoing Care

Ginger Wine® flowers on old wood. Routine shearing is unnecessary; its natural form is best preserved with room to grow. If light shaping is needed, prune just after flowering. Pruning before bloom can remove flower buds.

For older plants, the breeder recommends periodic rejuvenation by removing a portion of the oldest, thickest stems at ground level in late winter every three to five years. This differs from cutting back the entire shrub or repeatedly clipping the outer growth.

If grown in a container, provide substantial root space, drainage, closer watering attention, and winter root protection in colder climates. Its full mature size makes an in-ground planting a simpler long-term choice where conditions suit it.

Choose Ginger Wine® Ninebark for changing foliage color, seasonal flowers, and a relaxed arching form in a sunny garden with room to grow.