I probably saw some of this Midwestern Ninebark as clipped hedges at Northern Illinois University in the 1980's, as it once was sold for this purpose in the 1970's from nurseries and nursery catalogs. Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois calls this the Illinois Ninebark and has it planted in a few locations around their huge property. It differs from the regular Common Ninebark by being a smaller shrub about 4 to 5 feet high, with smaller leaves, with smaller flower clusters that contain about 15 to 20 individual flowers versus up to 50 on the regular form, and this smaller shrub has spreading stellate hairs on the fruits. This variety is native to southern Ontario, New York, the Midwestern states from Ohio to the Dakotas, and to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. I like it.

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