Arrowwood Viburnum or Eastern Ninebark?

13 years ago

Arrowwood Viburnum or Eastern Ninebark are on sale at my local Lowes for $7.50 for a fairly big plant. Which should I get?

I could either plant it on an eroding embankment or in a row of bushes concealing a superfluous fence.

It would be exposed to high winds and salt spray during hurricanes. Either clay soil or a mixture of sand and gravel depending on where I decide to put it.

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Comments (8)

TheBlackTulip
13 years ago
It all depends on what you are looking for. Common Ninebark has unique bark and a lot of wildlife value when it comes to native bees. But Arrow-wood Viburnum has much better fall color, and is a host plant for the uncommon "Spring Azure" butterfly although, it lacks Common Ninebarks unique bark.
agardenstateof_mind
13 years ago
Tough choice ... I'd probably wind up getting both, and you did say you have two potential locations ... but don't let me be a bad influence ;-)

You might find the information on the Mass. Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs website somewhat helpful, where they specificallly mention the following about ninebark:

"...fast growing and will re-sprout from the base vigorously if cut back. It can be used in a garden border, as a screen, or for erosion control on banks."

Here is a link that might be useful: Mass. Energy & Env. Affairs - Coastal Landscaping
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Barbara Meli
13 years ago
Check to see if viburnum leaf beetle is in your area. They just love arrowwood.
lisanti07028
13 years ago
Get both.
wisconsitom
12 years ago
Yeah, both good plants. Arrowwood viburnum happens to be a personal favorite of mine but both are useful and native.

+oM
edlincoln
Original Author
12 years ago
I purchased the ninebark.

Another thought. One of the sites I'm thinking of planting it has decent soil but a lot of invasive English ivy. The other has sand and gravel, honeysuckle, and poison ivy (A native, yay!)

Would English Ivy kill this plant? For some reason it hasn't killed any other trees, but this is a young one.
edlincoln
Original Author
12 years ago
Update. This is one of the two bargain-bin ninebark the next Spring.
ellessebee
12 years ago
I bought 3 of Ninebark at Lowes 3 years ago. A variety of colors. I stuck them in the back of the property as colorful screening. Wooded setting, only a few hours of sun daily and no TLC. Three years later I have a new mission for them. One is still very small and the other 2 were about 7 feet tall but leggy until I cut them back. They were growning among ferns and other garden recluses and struggling to keep their heads above water. After a couple of weeks now they are pushing out new grown towards the bottom. I am hoping that next spring I will have some beautiful plants, and I'm rooting the trimmings.

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Arrowwood Viburnum or Eastern Ninebark?

Comments (8)

TheBlackTulip

agardenstateof_mind

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Arrowwood Viburnum or Eastern Ninebark?

Comments (8)

TheBlackTulip

agardenstateof_mind

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Barbara Meli

lisanti07028

wisconsitom

edlincolnOriginal Author

edlincolnOriginal Author

ellessebee

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edlincoln
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