Showy, often-fragrant flowers are followed by colorful berries and fall foliage
It can be wild for a baby’s room possessor to go out on a branch about name his favorite plants . But I have perfectly no qualms about say thatviburnumsare my pick for the most versatile and garden - worthy genus ofshrubs . Besides having attractive foliage and growth use , the best genus Viburnum also offer lovely — sometimes even fragrant — blossom . Many also boast colored fruit and sensational fall foliation . In addition , the fruit are invoke tobirdsand other wildlife . What more could you ask of a bush ?
Learn more : A gradation - by - stair Guide to Pruning Viburnums
As a garden graphic designer , whenever I ’ve needed a bush for a job area — dry , lactating , sunny , or shady — a genus Viburnum has always add up to the rescue . There are more than 150 specie ofViburnum;many are aboriginal to North America , grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 9 . My current garden is in Zone 6 , Connecticut , but I ’ve also develop viburnums in the Zone 2 climate of Vermont .
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Viburnums are normally shrubs , but their habits vary . A few dwarf mixed bag , such asViburnum opulus‘Nanum ’ , are under 3 foot . Others , such as Seibold viburnum ( V. seiboldii ) , may grow up to 20 feet tall . Most viburnums also have a full spreading habit . Some Viburnum can become medium - size tree diagram , especially if they are pruned . Viburnums excel as specimen plants or as anchorman in mixed borders . You wo n’t detect a more versatile group of shrub for hedge or for mass in radical , since genus Viburnum hold their own in every season . Some genus Viburnum , such as Prague genus Viburnum ( V.‘Pragense ’ ) , are evergreen . Others , such as leatherleaf viburnum ( V. rhytidophyllum ) , are semi - evergreen in colder clime , drop off their farewell when temperature douse below 10 ° F.
A few viburnums can be grown as criterion and used in various options . A viburnum standard can create height in the back of a border or in green goddess on each side of a terrace entrance , underplanted with yearly . Varieties that search serious as standard are : V. plicatumvar.tomentosum‘Newport’,V. carlesii‘Compactum ’ , andV.×bodnantense‘Dawn ’ . The latter ’s belated - winter peak render a wondrous display .
These adaptable shrubs are easy to grow
One of the thing I wish most about genus Viburnum is that they get without a sight of fuss over them . Those that are native to North America are especially adaptable . For exercise , although southerly blackhaw genus Viburnum ( V. rufidulum ) grows as an understory bush in the Piedmont , it will take full sun in practiced stain . This genus Viburnum get a fine specimen . Its rounded leave reverse burgundy in fall . Accented by blue drupes of fruit , it is breathtaking against a backdrop of evergreens . Another native , arrowwood genus Viburnum ( V. dentatum ) , adapts to many ground condition . It weathered a recent drought here without looking the least flake straggly .
If you need a reliable bush for deep tad with moist soil , consider hobblebush viburnum ( V. alnifolium , also known asV. lantanoides ) . Hiking in New Hampshire of late , I came across the lovely sales booth of hobblebush I ’ve ever seen . Limbs that had go down on the ground had taken radical and formed a colony . Nannyberry genus Viburnum ( V. lentago ) is another native that enjoys moist shade , but it can also conform to sun and ironical soil . It has creamy - blank lacecap flowers in mid- to former May here in Connecticut . Its fruit—1/2 - in drupes — turns shades of yellowed , rose , pinkish , and last , bluish - smutty . Sometimes all shades are evidence at once .
A penny-pinching kin group to these two natives is blackhaw viburnum ( V. prunifolium ) . While it prefers dry feet , it ’s adaptable to many soil type , and to sunny and suspicious land site . Its dingy - gullible foliation turns purplish - red in twilight , and its fruit turns from pink to blue - sinister , with a waxy , grizzly bloom . I find it take a cracking small , single - stem tree diagram .
Most viburnums grow better in full sun but are just as cognitive content in light to partial spook . Except for a few varieties , noted in the chart Viburnums that stand out from time of year to time of year , give them passably fecund , moist but well - drained grunge with a pH from 5.6 to 6.6 . When genus Viburnum savour good air circulation , they rarely put up from fungal diseases . If they ’re content in their land site , they ’re ordinarily not trouble oneself by pest .
Viburnums are known for their attractive foliage
Most viburnums in cultivation have faithfully attractive foliage . Leaves vary in size , grain , and color . Foliage may be rounded or lance - shape , and full or toothed around the edges . Most deciduous genus Viburnum have great spill color , ranging from yellow to red to Bourgogne , depending on the metal money or cultivar . But mapleleaf viburnum ( V. acerfolium ) is hard to beat , plow purple to rosy in the free fall . This is also a shrub that could help you out in those dry , shady spots .
If you ’re bet for an evergreen or semi - evergreen shrub , considerV.×rhytidophylloidesand its cultivars . ‘ Willowwood ’ has burnished , deeply vein fleeceable foliation and flush in the crepuscle . In my garden , it usually makes it through wintertime looking well . ‘ Allegheny ’ has dense , rounded , dark - green leaf . I like the way its vivid cerise - to - black fruit front against the foliage .
But don’t forget the flowers
Viburnums have two major type of bloom head : monotonic - pass clump of flower that resemble lacecap hydrangeas , and snowball types , with globe- or noggin - form flower cluster . genus Viburnum flowers lay out from creamy white to pink . The buds , often work like minor nuts , are usually attractive as well .
The inclination of great blossoming genus Viburnum is prospicient , but I need to bring up just a few . Burkwood genus Viburnum ( V.×burkwoodii ) , semi - evergreen plant in a mild winter , is super fragrant and has many cultivar . ‘ Anne Russell ’ , a summary shrub , has fragrant pink buds and red fall foliage . ‘ Mohawk ’ , introduce by the late Dr. Donald Egolf of the National Arboretum , has a striking fragrance of spicery as its reddish bud open into blanched snowballs . Introduced by William Judd at the Arnold Arboretum in 1920 , Judd genus Viburnum ( V.×juddii ) is an passing heavy flowering cross ofV. bitchiuense . It has violet fall foliage with mordant yield . Mayflower genus Viburnum ( V. carlesii ) , an old garden favorite , is democratic for estimable reason . Also know as Korean spicery viburnum , it has very fragrant pink buds that loose to showy white snowball flowers . My favorite cultivar are ‘ Cayuga ’ , a compact grower with pink bud , and ‘ Compactum ’ , which turn to only 3 feet tall and broad in 10 years .
The unbent specie form of European cranberry bush ( V. opulus ) is not as exciting as some viburnums , but several cultivars are exceptional . ‘ Xanthocarpum ’ , a lily-white - flower lacecap type , is one of my top-10 Viburnum . It has dark - green foliage and yellow stems with persistent yellow fruit . ‘ Nanum ’ , a midget cultivar , grows to only 2 metrical unit high and 3 foot wide in 10 years . It ’s sometimes confused with ‘ Compactum ’ , which get much bombastic and flowers more than ‘ Nanum ’ . European snowball viburnum ( V. o. ‘Roseum ’ ) is a sterile viburnum . Its showy and profuse snowball flowers depart out Malus pumila - green and modification to whiteness .
But the real flowered show - plug are the doublefile viburnums ( V. plicatumvar.tomentosum ) . There are many fine cultivars in this group , though some of my front-runner have little or no fragrance . They all have excellent orange - carmine foliage in fall with red - mordant fruit . ‘ Mariesii ’ and ‘ Shasta ’ both have whitened lacecap flower . ‘ Kern ’s Pink ’ has sick - pinkish snowball heyday and dark - green leave-taking with magenta edges .
Last but not least isV. sargentii‘Onondaga ’ , a knock - out cultivar introduced by Dr. Egolf . Its maroon foliage emerges at the same time as prolific bloom that are a piddling benighted maroon and arrange off by sterile florets in white with a tint of burgundy . This sensational shrub makes a enceinte specimen or hedge .
Colorful fruit adds appeal
Viburnum frequently define good - depend fruit , which often persists for a long time . Among the best fruiting viburnums is linden viburnum ( V. dilatatum ) . Dr. Egolf also introduced some fine cultivars of this East Asian species . The red fruits of ‘ Erie ’ eventually bend coral , then pink . The compact - growing ‘ Oneida ’ halt its glossy , dark - cerise fruit for most of the wintertime . ‘ Michael Dodge ’ , with its yellow yield , is good for the fall garden . The bright - flushed berry of Camellia sinensis viburnum ( V. setigerum ) often endure throughout winter . This Asian native will take a lot of shade , and you could taste bring in tea from the farewell .
Smooth witherod ( V. nudum ) , a ok aboriginal species , also put on an special show in fruit . Its berries turn from green to pink to red to dark amobarbital sodium . All these can appear on a single plant life at the same time . ‘ Winterthur ’ is more stocky . In fall , smooth witherod ’s shiny leaf turn from tinted bronze to brilliant red .
The native I belike use most often in planting dodge is American cranberry bush viburnum ( V. trilobum ) , so named because its yield looks like smart - reddish cranberries . Its crisp and shiny dark - green leaf turn red - purpleness in the fall . New growth emerge with a reddish tint . Compact cultivars , such as ‘ Compactum Alfredo ’ , work well in hedging or bush border . ‘ Wentworth ’ is a must for wintertime pursuit , with its cherry - reddish winter fruit persisting well into January if the temperature does n’t strike down too drastically . American cranberry bush , however , does not like teetotal locating .
For good yield displays , it ’s authoritative to recollect that most viburnums are not self - pollinating . In fact , except forV. opulus , they are ego - discrepant , which means they demand a little genetical variability to fruit well . For example , witherod genus Viburnum does not fruit well embed alone . When planted near its cousin , quiet witherod , its fruit dramatically increase .
Once you plant a viburnum or three in your garden , you ’re certain to love them from time of year to time of year and for many old age to come . And you ’ll probably start depend for more of these rewarding shrubs to grow as well .
Viburnums that excel from season to season
I would be hard weigh to cull just a handful of exceptional Viburnum , so this hefty chart lean a few XII . efflorescence time are for Zone 6 . Semi - evergreen plant stand for that the shrub holds some or all of its folio in a meek winter . Unless noted , viburnums grow well in moist , well - drained land in full sun , but will also tolerate partial shade . North American native viburnums and their cultivars are indicated by an asterisk .
V. acerfolium * ( mapleleaf viburnum)Height and width : 4 to 6 feet by 3 to 4 feet . bloom : yellow - livid lacecaps . Bloom time : May or June . Fruit : black ; often remain into winter . remark : good in dry tincture ; descent colour range from creamy pinko to mystifying purpleness . zone : 3–8
V. alnifolium * ( also known asV. lantanoides ) ( hobblebush)Height and width : 7 to 8 feet by 8 to 10 feet . Flowers : snowy lacecaps ; fragrant . Bloom time : May . Fruit : ruby to purple - bootleg . comment : excellent red - purple fall color ; unspoiled understory plant for moist spectre . zone : 3–6
V.×bodnantense‘Dawn’Height and width : 8 to 10 feet by 6 base . Flowers : pinkish bud open to white ; fragrant . Bloom time : February – April . Fruit : red to black . comment : foliage emerge bronzy - unripened , matures to sinister unripened . Zones : 4–8
V.×burkwoodii(Burkwood viburnum)Height and width : 8 feet by 5 feet . Flowers : pink buds open to white snowball ; spicy fragrance . Bloom metre : March – April . yield : red to black . Comments : semi - evergreen . Zones : 4–8
V.×burkwoodii‘Anne Russell’Height and width : 6 metrical foot by 8 feet . flower : pink buds opened to white-hot snowball ; fragrant . Bloom time : April . Fruit : red to black . Comments : semi - evergreen . zone : 5–8
If you want an exceptional shrub near the house, consider a viburnum with fragrant flowers. Open the window on a spring day when one of these viburnums is in bloom and the fragrance will waft through the house.
V.×burkwoodii‘Mohawk’Height and width : 7 ft by 5 feet . bloom : saturnine crimson bud undefendable to bloodless snowballs ; clove fragrance . Bloom time : May . Fruit : red to black . Comments : orange - red twilight color ; disease - resistant . zona : 5–8
V.×carlcephalum(fragrant snowball viburnum)Height and width : 6 to 10 foot by 6 to 10 feet . Flowers : pink opening to livid snowballs ; fragrant . Bloom time : May . Fruit : red to black . Comments : vigorous , good - uprise shrub . Zones : 5–8
V. carlesii(Mayflower viburnum , Korean spice viburnum)Height and width : 10 to 12 feet by 7 to 8 metrical foot . Flowers : pink bud open to white , very fragrant snowballs . Bloom metre : May . yield : red to black . Comments : dense bush with upright spreading branches . geographical zone : 4–7
If you want an exceptional shrub near the house, consider a viburnum with fragrant flowers. Open the window on a spring day when one of these viburnums is in bloom and the fragrance will waft through the house.
V. carlesii‘Compactum’Height and width : 4 base by 4 foot . Flowers : pink buds open white ; very fragrant . Bloom meter : May . Fruit : red to black . Comments : very dark unripened leafage turns wine-colored - red in spill ; splendid for borders . Zones : 4–7
V. cassinoides * ( witherod viburnum)Height and width : 6 to 10 foot by 5 to 6 foot . bloom : creamy white lacecaps . bloom of youth clip : June . Fruit : fleeceable to bolshy to gentle - black , often all at once . Comments : orange to purple fall colour . Zones : 4–8
V. dentatum * ( arrowwood viburnum)Height and width : 10 to 12 understructure by 5 to 6 metrical foot . Flowers : creamy white , fragrant lacecaps . Bloom time : May – June . yield : yellow to glossy red to purple . Comments : adapts to varied soil conditions . Zones : 2–8
V. dilatatum(linden viburnum)Height and width : 8 to 10 foundation by 7 to 8 foot . Flowers : creamy white lacecaps , slightly fragrant . Bloom fourth dimension : May – June . Fruit : red - scarlet , often hang on into wintertime . comment : bronze to russet fall colour . Zones : 4–8
V. dilatatum‘Erie’Height and width : 10 feet by 6 feet . bloom : creamy whitened lacecaps . Bloom time : May – June . yield : prolific and persistent . Comments : yellow to crimson fall color . zone : 5–8
V. dilatatum‘Michael Dodge’Height and width : 8 to 10 feet by 5 to 7 feet . blossom : creamy white lacecaps . Bloom time : May – June . Fruit : yellow ; persistent . Comments : reddish to burgundy fall colour foliage . geographical zone : 5–8
V. dilatatum‘Oneida’Height and width : 5 foot by 5 ft . prime : blank lacecaps . Bloom time : May . Fruit : crimson fruit ; persistent . Comments : pallid yellow to orange - red fall color . Zones : 5–8
V.×juddii(Judd viburnum)Height and width : 7 feet by 6 feet . Flowers : white , very fragrant snowball case . salad days meter : April – May . yield : red to black . Comments : especial efflorescence bush . zone : 4–8
V. lantana‘Mohican ’ ( wayfaring tree)Height and width : 8 feet by 9 foot . Flowers : white snowballs , not fragrant . Bloom clock time : May . Fruit : orangeness to red to calamitous . Comments : excellent leafage work over-embellished in declension ; deal dry soil . zone : 3–7
V. lentago * ( nannyberry viburnum , sheepberry)Height and width : 15 to 20 feet by 8 to 10 feet . flush : creamy - whitened lacecaps . Bloom clock time : May . Fruit : from green to blue - black ; lasts into wintertime . commentary : fine little specimen tree ; adapts to wet or dry dirt . Zones : 2–8
V. nudum”Winterthur ’ * ( smooth witherod)Height and width : 6 to 8 feet by 5 pes . Flowers : creamy - white lacecaps . peak prison term : June . Fruit : gullible to tap to red to blue , often at once . Comments : okay small specimen Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ; red to reddish - majestic fall color . Zones : 5–9
V. opulus‘Xanthocarpum ’ ( yellow - fruited European cranberry bush)Height and width : 6 feet by 6 feet . blossom : livid lacecaps . Bloom sentence : May . Fruit : yellow fruit ; persistent . Comments : first-class compact manakin ; lime - green foliage turns icteric in pin . zone : 3–7
V. opulus‘Nanum ’ ( dwarf European cranberry bush)Height and width : 2 foot by 3 foot . peak : blanched snowballs . Bloom prison term : May . Fruit : seldom give rise fruit . remark : excellent fall gloss ; honest for small-scale hedging ; does not tolerate cockeyed soil . zone : 3–7
V. opulus‘Roseum ’ ( European snowball bush)Height and width : 8 to 10 foot by 6 to 7 foot . flower : bloodless snowball . Bloom metre : May . Fruit : cherry-red to blackness . comment : big color for shrub margin . Zones : 3–7
V. plicatumvar.tomentosum‘Kern ’s pinko ’ ( pink doublefile viburnum)Height and width : 6 feet by 8 feet . heyday : calorie-free pinkish snowballs . Bloom clip : May . Fruit : red to black . Comments : dark green foliage with Battle of Magenta leaf margins . zone : 3–8
If you want an exceptional shrub near the house, consider a viburnum with fragrant flowers. Open the window on a spring day when one of these viburnums is in bloom and the fragrance will waft through the house.
V. plicatumvar.tomentosum‘Mariesii ’ ( doublefile viburnum)Height and width : 8 foot by 12 foot . Flowers : white lacecaps . Bloom clock time : May . Fruit : red to black . comment : graceful horizontal branching ; cherry-red - purple fall color . Zones : 5–8
V. plicatumvar.tomentosum‘Shasta ’ ( doublefile viburnum)Height and width : 6 feet by 5 feet . Flowers : large white lacecaps . Bloom prison term : May . Fruit : red to Negro . Comments : plum tree - hued dip color ; expectant as a specimen . Zones : 5–8
V. plicatumvar.tomentosum‘Summer Snowflake ’ ( doublefile viburnum)Height and width : 10 foot by 5 groundwork . flush : white lacecaps . Bloom time : June – September . Fruit : red to blackness . Comments : great for all - summer blooming ; xanthous - orange fall color . Zones : 3–8
The best viburnums boast great flowers and foliage. The dark-green leaves ofV. plicatumvar.tomentosum‘Kern’s Pink’ highlight its pale-pink, snowball-shape blooms.Photo: Lee Anne White
V. plicatumvar.tomentosum‘Newport ’ ( doublefile viburnum)Height and width : 5 feet by 5 feet . peak : white snowball ; clean fragrance . Bloom clip : May . yield : seldom bring out fruit . Comments : saturnine gullible leaves turn Burgundy wine in dip . zona : 5–8
V. prunifolium * ( blackhaw viburnum)Height and width : 12 to 15 foot by 8 to 12 human foot . blossom : creamy white lacecaps . Bloom clock time : May . Fruit : pink to bluish - black . commentary : purple - red fall foliation ; lovely aboriginal Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , mold - resistant . Zones : 3–9
V.×rhytidophylloides‘Allegheny’*Height and width : 10 feet by 12 feet . Flowers : creamy white lacecaps . Bloom fourth dimension : May ( may continue blooming ) . Fruit : red to black . commentary : semi - evergreen . Zones : 4–8
Many viburnums have exceptional flowers. The maroon buds ofV. sargentii‘Onondaga’ open to become delicate lacelike flowers.Photo: Steve Silk
V.×rhytidophylloides‘Willowwood’*Height and width : 12 foundation by 12 foot . heyday : creamy white , attic - shaped . Bloom time : May ( may continue bloom ) . yield : violent to inkiness . comment : semi - evergreen , pleasing arching habit . Zones : 4–8
V. rufidulum * ( Southern blackhaw viburnum)Height and width : 15 feet by 8 feet . flower : lily-white lacecaps . Bloom time : May . yield : dark blue . remark : burgundy gloam leafage . Zones : 5–9
V. sargentii‘Onondaga ’ ( ‘ Onondaga ’ Sargent viburnum)Height and width : 12 feet by 6 understructure . flower : maroon lacecap flower with white florets . Bloom time : May . Fruit : scarlet . Comments : new foliage is maroon ; must have damp dirt . Zones : 3–7
V. nudum‘Winterthur’.Photo: J. Paul Moore
V. setigerum(tea viburnum)Height and width : 10 to 12 feet by 8 to 10 feet . Flowers : livid lacecaps . Bloom fourth dimension : May – June . yield : blood-red - orange tree in pendent clusters ; persistent . input : excellent woodland shrub . Zones : 5–7
V. sieboldii(Seibold viburnum)Height and width : 15 to 20 animal foot by 10 to 15 human foot . Flowers : profuse , creamy bloodless lacecaps . Bloom time : May . Fruit : apricot to red , arduous clusters ; persistent . comment : bombastic bush or humble tree , unripe - purple crepuscule foliage , deer insubordinate . Zones : 4–8
V. trilobum * ( American cranberry bush)Height and width : 8 to 12 foot by 8 to 12 feet . Flowers : white lacecaps . Bloom fourth dimension : May . Fruit : red ; edible . Comments : yellow to burgundy spill foliage ; lay down courteous hedge . Zones : 2–7
V. trilobum‘Compactum ’ ( thick American cranberry bush)Height and width : 4 feet by 3 feet . Flowers : lily-white lacecaps . Bloom time : May . Fruit : yellowish to reddish ; persistent . Comments : orange to burgundy fall leafage ; good for mixed bush margin . Zones : 2–7
V. trilobum‘Wentworth ’ ( Wentworth cranberry bush)Height and width : 8 metrical unit by 6 foot . Flowers : white lacecaps . Bloom time : May . yield : yellow-bellied to bright red ; lasting . Comments : red dip color ; splendid for winter garden . Zones : 2–7
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