mallow ninebark Rosaceae Physocarpus malvaceus (Greene) Kuntze symbol: PHMA5 Leaf: Alternate, simple, deciduous, maple-like, palmately 3 lobed (occasionally 5); almost circular in outline, 1 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, blunt serrated margin; dark green above, paler and fuzzy below. Flower: Perfect, small (1/2 inch) white to faint pink flowers borne in small, dense, upright, hemispherical clusters, appearing in late spring to early summer. Fruit: Small (1/4 inch long) pointed follicles borne in dense, upright hemispherical clusters, initially they are red and later turning a bright reddish brown. Twig: Slender and red-brown; young twigs have tight bark but on older twigs the bark splits and exfoliates in long strips; buds with many obvious loose scales, leaf scars raised with lines running downward angling the twigs. Bark: Thin and yellow-, orange-, or red-brown; shredded and exfoliating in long strips, especially on older stems, fairly attractive. Form: A medium sized, vase-shaped shrub up to 5 feet. Looks like: ninebark - mountain ninebark - common ninebark - Rocky Mountain maple Additional Range Information: Physocarpus malvaceus is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting mallow ninebark. More: Fall Color External Links: USDAFS Additional Silvics USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2016, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson