Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Physocarpus

Species:

Physocarpus alternans

USDA Symbol:

PHAL7

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

200 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; typical of Great Basin shrub communities.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to rocky slopes and arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate best with cold stratification; may also germinate without pretreatment but rates improve with chilling.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI