Ninebark (Physocarpus Opulifolius Darts Gold) 50 seeds (#582)

Beautiful golden foliage makes this compact ninebark especially appealing. The pretty 'Dart's Gold' has brighter new leaves that are more enduring than those of the other popular yellow-leaved form, 'Luteus.' It also has a more uniform habit and suckers less.
Ninebark is a hardy deciduous shrub with long-lasting flowers and fruits and exfoliating bark. This native of the eastern United States slowly suckers and has a tough constitution. In the wild it exists along the fields and forest margins of uplands and lowlands.
The small maple-like lobed leaves of 'Dart's Gold' are golden and turn shades of yellow and bronze in fall. In late spring or early summer it bears conspicuous clusters of small white flowers, which are attractive to many insect pollinators. The flowers are followed by small oval fruits that turn from green to red. After leaf fall its exfoliating brown bark takes center stage. (info source: Learn2Grow.com)

Genus - Physocarpus
Species - Opulifolius
Variety - Darts Gold
Common name - Ninebark
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 3 - 8
Height - 5'-6' / 1.50 - 1.80 m
Spread - 6'-8' / 1.80 - 2.40 m
Plant type - Shrub
Vegetation type - Deciduous
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth rate - Medium
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil type - Clay, Loam, Sand
Water requirements - Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Landscape uses - Use this shrub to anchor a native garden or mixed border. It can also be planted in natural areas or roadsides.
Bloom season - Late Spring, Early Summer
Leaf / Flower color - Light Green / White

GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
1. Soak the seeds in water overnight
2. Place the seeds in a moist material such as milled sphagnum peat, sterile soil or vermiculite.
3. Refrigerate the seeds for 2-3 months at 33 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit (+2 – +4C).
4. After the seeds are stratified, plant them no more than one-quarter inch deep in a container filled with a moist, well-drained germination medium. Cover with glass or plastic and keep the container moist, but not soggy. Seeds should germinate in 3 to 4 weeks at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit bottomheat. As soon as the seeds germinate, place them under bright lights or move them to a greenhouse or cold frame.
Another method is to plant seeds outdoors in well prepared beds in October or before the winter. If it does not rain, then water the seedbeds before the ground freezes. The seeds will naturally receive cold treatment during the winter. The seeds should start to germinate when the seedbed warms up in the spring.
When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant out in late spring.