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Physocarpus opulifolius Sweet Cherry Tea™

The first re-blooming ninebark!

It’s easy to see how ninebarks have become one of our most beloved natives. This new free-flowering selection from breeder David Zlesak has more bells and whistles than we can count! Delicate, feathery leaves begin the spring season with a warm, reddish-orange glow before aging to a rich purple. Dark-pink buds open to multiple delicate, pink flowers clustered together at the tips of every branch. As the petals fall, they give way to showy, rose-red fruits that hold their color for a few weeks in late spring. Stunning!

But wait…there’s more! The re-blooming trait that Sweet Cherry Tea™ exhibits is extremely rare in ninebarks, giving us much more to celebrate! In midsummer, the flowering starts again with vigorous shoots terminating in more pink flower clusters. Exceptional branching that follows allows for many side shoots with warm, colored tips to develop and increase plant density—minimizing pruning and contributing to the various shades of…Sweet Cherry Tea™!

Who Am I?

  • Common Name:
    Sweet Cherry Tea ninebark
  • Botanical Name:
    Physocarpus opulifolius ‘ZLEBic5’ PP31235
  • Type:
    Shrub
  • U.S. Native:
    YES

Cultural Details

TYPE

Shrub

U.S. NATIVE

YES
  • Light:
    Full sun
  • Soil:
    Average garden soil
  • Moisture:
    Moist, but well drained
  • Hardiness Zone
    3-7
  • Bloom Time:
    Summer
  • Size:
    3-4' tall by 3-4' wide
  • Diseases & Pests:
    None known

What Makes Me Special?

The first re-blooming ninebark to make its way into your landscape! Soft pink flowers bloom in spring and repeat mid-summer followed by warm, reddish-orange new growth. Exceptional branching coupled with the colorful new growth allows for plants to fill in and form mounding silhouettes, minimizing pruning and contributing to the various shades of Sweet Cherry Tea™.

Landscape Use

Foundations, mixed borders, naturalized gardens, specimens, urban spaces. Tolerant of a wide range of soil types and harsh conditions, this long-lived native can be used for erosion control or to cover banks

Pruning

Ninebarks flower in eary summer and fruit in the fall. To encourage flowering, prune in late fall.

Propagation

Cuttings

Who Am I?

  • Common Name:
    Sweet Cherry Tea ninebark
  • Botanical Name:
    Physocarpus opulifolius ‘ZLEBic5’ PP31235
  • Type:
    Shrub
  • U.S. Native:
    YES

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