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Michigan Gardener | April 2022 | MichiganGardener.com
Ninebark: Sweet Cherry Tea Sweet Cherry Tea (Physocarpus opulifolius) is the first ninebark to exhibit a re-blooming trait. The spring season begins with the warm, reddish-orange glow of feathery leaves, which gradually age to a rich purple. Dark-pink flower buds open to reveal pink flowers clustered together at the branch tips. As the flower petals fall, they give way to showy, rose-red fruits that hold their color for a few weeks in late spring. In midsummer, the flowering starts again with vigorous shoots displaying additional pink flower clusters. Ninebark is a native shrub that tolerates a wide range of soil types and harsh conditions. Height: 3-4 feet. Width: 3-4 feet. Light: Full sun. Zone: 3.
Proven Winners Color Choice Flowering Shrubs
Panicle hydrangea: Quick Fire Fab Quick Fire Fab is an early-blooming panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) with large, upright, football-shaped blooms. Starting out as a coconut-lime color, the blossoms quickly develop watermelon-pink tones at the base (thus the name “Quick Fire”). These pink tones darken and progress
up the panicle for a striking bicolor look. Also notable are the sturdy stems that don’t flop. Height: 6-8 feet. Width: 5-6 feet. Light: Full sun to part sun. Zone: 3.
Redbud: Flame Thrower A menagerie of foliage colors is the claim to fame of this small tree (Cercis canadensis Flame Thrower). Emerging burgundy-red, the leaves turn bright yellow and green as they mature through the season. Plus, multiple shades of each color add to the remarkable sight. Before the leaf show begins, the spring branches show off the classic pink flowers for which redbuds are well known. Height in 10 years: 15-20 feet. Width in 10 years: 15 feet. Light: Full sun to part sun. Zone: 5. Plants Nouveau
Star Roses and Plants
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