Diablo Ninebark vs Alpine Currant - TreeTime.ca

Diablo Ninebark vs Alpine Currant

Physocarpus opulifolius Diablo

Ribes alpinum

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Diablo Ninebark
Alpine Currant

Diablo Ninebark is a small, low maintenance, multi-stemmed shrub, that is used to add texture or color to any yard. This plant grows dark purple leaves in the spring and grows slightly faster than Common Ninebark. It features flaky red to brown bark, clusters of white flowers, and long, maple-like leaves. Diablo Ninebark can make a dense and colorful hedge, or it can be an attractive ornamental by itself.

Alpine Currant is a great shrub to plant along sidewalks, near building or at your property boundary as a hedge or accent species. It is widely used by commercial landscapers in parking lots and near buildings because of its hardiness, attractiveness, and pollution tolerance.

While Alpine Currant produces edible berries, they are not palatable.

Diablo Ninebark Quick Facts

Alpine Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: low
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: reddish-purple
Foliage: glossy green
Fall colour: yellow
Bark: brown to red, exfoliating
Flowers: white
Flowers: greenish yellow and fragrant
Berries: red
Berries: small, bright red
Seeds: inflated seed capsules
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: eastern ninebark, purple ninebark
Other Names: mountain currant