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I think I can honestly say I have never met a Viburnum I didn't like - they come from a good family, always look neat and tidy, often smell good and don't crave constant attention. This genus of evergreen and deciduous shrubs are great background performers and should not be overlooked when planning a new garden or refurbishing an existing planting scheme.

Viburnums are tolerant of just about any soil but they are happiest in a rich humus that does not completely dry out in summer. If you choose carefully you can have Viburnums in flower from winter through to the end of summer. The flowers are often sweetly scented and are followed by very attractive ornamental berries. The deciduous varieties have excellent autumn leaf colour. Viburnums can be kept tidy by cutting back any straggly older shoots after flowering. You won't find this an arduous task and if you decide not to do it your Viburnum will still perform well for you.  

Most are frost hardy with the exception of Viburnum odoratissimum "Emerald Lustre" which will only tolerate a light frost. If you do have a frost free area this is a wonderful plant to add a lush tropical look as it has large rounded glossy green foliage with a hint of bronze. Some Viburnums are prone to attack from Thrip in summer, especially Viburnum tinus varieties such as "Eve Price" and "Gwenllian" but this is easily controlled (see care instructions on Rhododendron page) and should not detract from their overall value.  

Viburnums to consider:

Viburnum opulus sterile "Snowball Tree"

Gorgeous globular creamy white "Snowball" flower heads appear throughout spring. Just beautiful in full flower. Flowers look wonderful picked when in bud. Deciduous.  

Viburnum x burkwoodii

This is one of my very favourite flowering shrubs. White flowers open from tight pink buds and, oh, the perfume. Plant to take advantage of the scent. Good autumn colour. Deciduous.



Viburnum tinus Eve Price

Nice compact evergreen shrub which flowers from winter through to spring. The buds are deep carmine pink and open to clusters of blush white flowers. The flowers are followed by blue-black berries which hold well on the plant. The mid green foliage is lush and extremely tolerant of harsh weather conditions, even strong winds. Trims well and can be used as a hedge.

The main feature of this lovely shrub is the tight clusters of white flowers which open from pink buds from winter through to spring. The fragrance is delicious and reminiscent of soft baby powder. Mmm! The foliage is dark green above and slightly felted underneath. Semi-evergreen.

 

A medium sized shrub with a rounded habit, Leaves are oval down and dull green in colour often colouring in the autumn. Rounded clusters of pure white flowers that are pink in the bud open emitting a strong daphne like fragrance in early spring.

 

This little shrub forms a wide-spreading compact mound. The dark green leathery leaves that have a pale under-side. Small creamy white flowers in spring are followed by beautiful blue berries that hold through winter and they are really the main feature. Needs male company to produce berries. Evergreen.

 

The male form of this little shrub is usually planted for one reason - to pollinate the female form so she will produce berries. On its own it forms a wide-spreading compact mound with dark green leathery leaves that have a pale under-side. Small creamy white flowers in spring. Evergreen.

For harmony in the garden it is usually recommended that one male Viburnum davidii be planted for every 3 females - not something we suggest you try at home folks.

 

This sweet Viburnum has a higher density than other sweet Viburnum making it immensely suitable as a fragrant, evergreen hedging option. Beautifully fragrant white flowers in spring, red tinted new growth and reaching a good 2.5m high by 2m wide reasonably quickly. Full sun, drought and light frost tolerance once established. 1-2 plants per meter. Evergreen

 

A compact shrub with quite coarse green foliage, carmine red buds appear in late winter and open to white blooms tinged pink. Flowers are lightly perfumed and followed by dark blue berries. Easy to grow in sun or light shade. Responds well to pruning. Evergreen.

 

A compact shrub with quite coarse green foliage, carmine pink buds appear in late winter and open to white blooms tinged pink. Flowers are lightly perfumed and followed by dark blue berries. Easy to grow in sun or light shade. Responds well to pruning. Evergreen. RHS AGM.

 

Add some softness to your spring garden with this delightful deciduous Viburnum. Tiered layers of branches are draped with white, lacy florets in late spring. The fresh green foliage has an oval shape and is attractively serrated. Quite easy to grow and tolerant of most conditions. Hardy.

 

Huge rounded trusses of white 'snowball' flowers open from green buds in early summer. The dark leathery summer foliage as red and yellow autumn tones prior to leaf fall. Happy in sun or part shade and hardy to most conditions except hot dry wind. Lovely background shrub. Deciduous.

In milder climates this large shrub is sometimes semi-evergreen i.e. not all the leaves fall in winter.

 

A beautiful shrub with mid green pointed leaves with serrated edges that lay in tiers along the branches. The large, creamy white flowers open out in the spring and smother the bush in beautiful bloom. Small red berries that turn black follow the flowers. Plant in sun or part shade. Deciduous.