Well, mine has been in one place for at least five years, and has never been watered. It seems to be a more drought tolerant plant than the Shasta doublefile, which I do water when it wilts badly. Give it time in one place. Basically, every time I move something, it resets the official establishment clock. So something that I'm willing to water the first year, I have to be willing to water for at least a year after every time I move it.

I think I had it for 6 or 8 years, but I'm not sure. My mother had bought one at the same nursery, at the same time, and hers was oversized too. Is it POSSIBLE that they're grafted and the rootstock determines the eventual size of the shrub? I'm not a pruner, especially not interested in "pruning for size," so, although I removed a few stray branches for awhile, I did not try to prune it very seriously. My mom, on the other hand, pruned hers for a few years before deciding that it was just too big. If I were you, I'd talk to the people at the nursery where you bought it before planting it. If I'd known the size mine would reach, I could have planted it in another area. They do not like to be moved, at least that's what I've read. Then again, yours may be a smaller one - I certainly have seen small doublefiles that don't look like they're being hacked up annually.

Hi, I have two Summer Wine Ninebark that I got as very small 6 inch tall plants with only 3 branches. This year they got to maybe 2 ft tall with a few more branches, but looking scraggly with long arching branches. I think next year might be the year they will start looking like they should. I linked to a photo of how I am expecting/hoping the shrub will look. I am thinking I need to prune it to get it this dense and upright. Can anyone tell me, can they figure out from the photo, how this shrub was pruned to look like this? It didn't flower for me yet, being so small, but I hope it will next year. So...from what I am reading here, I should let it flower in the spring, and then prune it immediately after flowering. But how should I prune it? I would like the new branching to come from the base with clean lines. Does that mean I have to cut it all the way back to the ground? Should I leave foliage on it, since it isn't the dormant phase that I am pruning in? Thanks for any help you can offer. Oh, one more question, if anyone can answer. I heard they are hard to dig out once established. If I am thinking of moving it, maybe I should do it soon. Anyone have any experience in this regard? Thank you :-) Here is a link that might be useful: Ninebark 'Summer Wine'

Oppalm- You'd be surprised how fast they can grow given a hot summer. My oldest coconut that is close to 6 feet tall now was 9.5 inches when I got it back in April 2005. The more I think about it 7 foot fronds is probably overestimating. 6 feet long I believe is realistic. After this summer it will have had one full year outdoors. 4 months per year.