Physocarpus opulifolius 'LP2' LITTLE LEENA - Ninebark

The Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Leena' is a variety of Physocarpus with a compact habit, and its foliage takes on changing and attractive shades throughout the growing season. These transformations allow for constantly changing scenes when combined with other plants with decorative foliage. It is also ornamental with its pretty pinkish-white corymbs in spring. Easy to grow in ordinary, preferably moist soil, it thrives in the sun and is very resistant to frost. A true gem for small urban gardens, or even terraces, as its compactness allows for container cultivation.

The Physocarpus is a member of the large Rosaceae family, rich in many wild, fruit-bearing (apple trees, apricot trees...) and ornamental species, trees, shrubs, and even the smallest perennials, such as Acaena, a very aesthetic ground cover. The wild species, the Ninebark with Obier leaves, is a deciduous shrub native to the eastern United States, from Quebec to Virginia, with an arching habit, measuring from 1.50 m to 3 m in height. It produces white flowers with pink tips, giving rise to reddish fruits that contrast beautifully with the bright yellow autumn foliage. Old specimens are also ornamental in winter, due to their brownish-brown exfoliating bark.
'LP2' Little Leena is a horticultural variety that stands out for its changing colours. Compact and very dense, with a natural tendency to branch even without pruning, this cultivar forms a small bush, 1.20 to 1.50 m tall, with an equivalent width. Its distinctly erect habit widens due to the regular growth of new shoots, covered with small leaves arranged alternately. Measuring from 3 to 7 cm in length, the leaf blades are trilobed and have a toothed outline. The young leaves emerge in a chartreuse shade, light green with a yellowish hue, giving the plant a bright appearance. Their colour then gradually changes to a yellow mixed with orange and red, giving the bush a multicoloured aspect. As autumn arrives, the foliage becomes increasingly red, eventually turning dark red before finally falling to the ground.
In May-June, small corymbs of flowers bloom, with a diameter of approximately 5 cm. They are pinkish-white in colour, which complements the colourful foliage. Fragrance-free but melliferous, the flowers, once pollinated, produce small reddish fruits in September.

Extremely hardy, Physocarpus is one of those low-maintenance plants that are easy to grow as long as their needs are taken into account during planting. It mainly requires avoiding excessively chalky soils, plantings on slopes that do not retain rainwater, and excessive shade, which prevents the foliage from colouring properly. Its size also allows for container cultivation, especially since it tolerates pruning well if necessary. The Physocarpus 'Little Leena' will be perfectly at home in a mixed border, in the sun, in the company of other plants with ornamental foliage and flowering plants. A Red Ace Shrubby Cinquefoil at its feet will offer a nice contrast with its dark green miniature foliage, while its simple orange-red flowers will accompany the entire summer period. The Old Fashioned Smoke Bush will allow you to create renewed contrasts with its surprisingly bluish foliage in season, in front of which your little Physocarpus will be well highlighted, and which will blaze with red and orange in autumn. Another spectacular shrub, which, with its 3 m height at maturity, should be installed in the background of 'Little Leena', the The Rising Sun Eastern Redbud will create a magnificent duo with it. In April, its pink flowers appear directly on the bare wood, surprising everyone. Then the heart-shaped leaves emerge, whose shape is quite different from that of the Physocarpus but is equally aesthetic. They change colour throughout the season, combining orange, golden, and chartreuse green on the same branches. Your scene will thus be animated with a special dynamism that you will never tire of.