Physocarpus, Ninebark 'Dart's Gold'

I have two of these in a bed in my Zone 3a front yard. I call them Audrey and her Evil Twin. When I bought them I was labouring under the...Read More misapprehension that they'd be moderately sized, about 3 or 3 1/2 feet in diameter. Well, they're taller than me, despite HARD pruning spring and fall. They crowd out a lot of other things, like the Roseglow barberries I planted with them. You can't even see my Pacific Giant delphiniums behind them. They're beautiful, but they're just TOO big!

looks pretty, no maintenance or extra water, in dry part shade

A very desirable shrub, it has good form, is very hardy and does not seems to a have many pests and diseases.
The leaves emerge a...Read More bright yellow in the spring, reminding one's of Forsythia in bloom. Its foliage becomes chartreuse as the season advances. I do not find the flowers to be a great addition but they are numerous.

Update: Although this plant is very nice when young, mildew is a large problem as time goes by, it is necessary to prune it severely. Also, older stems have a tendency to die. I am not nearly as enthusiastic about this shrub as I first was.

I have not yet planted this shrub, but a local nursery has both the yellow and purple varieties, and it supposedly is one of Pennsylvania...Read More's native plants, so it is of interest to me for my garden. It has wonderful leaf color and keeps its form well.