Viburnums
Viburnums are a very versatile genus of shrub, which have many uses in the landscape. Whether it is a foundation planting, shrub border, hedge or screening plant that you need, there is surely a species or cultivar of Viburnum that will match your needs perfectly. They are perfectly suited to the climate and soils of New England and have very few, if any, major disease or insect problems. Some kinds will even thrive in areas where nothing else seems to do well such as wet soil locations or densely shaded sites. The flowers, showy fruits and excellent fall color set them in a class of their own. There are dozens of species and hundreds of cultivars of Viburnums available these days. We, at Young's Nurseries are proud to offer what we feel to be the finest types available on the market today. If you have any questions about which kind to choose, please feel free to ask one of our Garden Center staff for assistance.
VIBURNUMS - VARIETIES AND DESCRIPTIONS:
Viburnum bodnatense 'Dawn' - Pink buds open into small round clusters of fragrant pink flowers. Starts blooming in mid to late March and continuing for 4-6 weeks. A very attractive plant with a dense, upright branching pattern. Can be pruned to a shrub or trained to a small tree. Grows to 15' tall and wide. Leaves are deep green and heavily corrugated. Fall color is minimal. This is an exceptional plant, which can be either kept as a shrub or pruned up into a small, multi-stemmed tree.
Viburnum x burkwoodii - The Burkwood Viburnum. Pink buds open to golf ball-sized clusters of white flowers with a strong, spicy fragrance. Blooms in early to mid May. Leaves are lustrous, dark green and semi-evergreen. Grows 10' tall and wide or more but can be maintained at half the mature size. Inner leaves turn bright red in autumn before dropping.
Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Mohawk' - A compact form of the Burkwood Viburnum. Flower buds are reddish and showy for several weeks before they actually open. Grows 8' tall and wide but can easily be smaller than that.
Viburnum x carcephalum - The Fragrant Viburnum. Pink buds open to large clusters of fragrant white flowers in mid May. Leaves are dark green with a slight sheen. Grows to 10' tall and wide. Foliage turns reddish-purple in autumn before dropping.
Viburnum carlesii - The Korean Spice Viburnum. Reddish pink buds open to clusters of white flowers with a strong, spicy fragrance. Blooms early to mid May. Foliage is dull-green and slightly fuzzy. Grows to 10' x 10' or larger but can be kept to half that. Fall color can be a good, wine-red but varies from year to year.
Viburnum carlesii 'Cavuga' - Similar to above. Flowers are earlier and more abundant. Habit is more compact.
Viburnum dentatum - The Arrowwood Viburnum. Creamy white flowers in round, flat-topped clusters. Blooms late May-early June. Foliage is shiny-green and textured. Fruits are bluish or blackish and are effective in September and October. Grows 10' x 10' but easily maintained to any size. Very adaptable plant which can tolerate heavy, wet soil and coastline conditions. Fall color is good if grown in full sun.
Viburnum dentatum 'Chicago Lustre' - Similar to above but more compact. Foliage is deep green and very glossy. Fall color is an excellent reddish-purple if grown in full sun.
Viburnum dentatum 'Northern Burgundy' - Another hybrid with a dense branching pattern and very showy fruits and fall color.
Viburnum dilatatum - The Linden Viburnum. White flowers in large, flat-topped clusters in late May-early June. Very showy in bloom. Leaves are dark green and shiny. Fruit is oval, bright red and very showy for several weeks in the fall and early winter. Grows upright-oval to 10' but easily kept smaller. Fall color is bright red in full sun.
Viburnum dilatatum 'Erie' - A hybrid with a dense, compact habit. Grows 5-6' tall and slightly wider. Fall color is yellow, orange and red. Fruit is bright red but turns pinkish later in the fall and early winter.
Viburnum dilatatum 'Oneida' - Another hybrid with profuse, showy white flowers in May and occasional sporadic flowers into the summer. Glossy red fruits persist into the winter. Fall color is pale yellow, orange and/or red.
Viburnum x Juddii - The Judd Viburnum. This plant is a hybrid improvement of Viburnum carlessii. The flowers are larger and more abundant, and its habit is more compact.
Viburnum lantana 'Mohican' - A hybrid with a very dense, compact habit. Flowers are small and creamy-white. Leaves are dark green and leathery. Fruit shows in July and is orange/red but turns black later in the summer and fall. Autumn color is purplish-bronze.
Viburnum lentago - The Nannyberry Viburnum. Clusters of single, white flat-topped flowers in May. Fruits start in colors of yellow and pink before turning bluish-black. Foliage is shiny and dark green. Grows to be a large shrub or small tree. Can grow to 20' tall and 10' wide. Fall color is reddish-purple.
Viburnum macrocephalum - Flowers are huge, white clusters of sterile florets. Resembles a white hydrangea when in bloom. Very showy. Grows 8-10' tall and wide but can easily be maintained at a smaller size.
Viburnum opulus - The European Cranberrybush Viburnum. Flat clusters of showy white flowers in May. Maple-like leaves are glossy and dark green in summer. Fruit is large, cherry-red and very showy in late summer and autumn. Grows to 12' tall and wide, but can be maintained at half that. Fall color is orange and red but can vary.
Viburnum opulus 'Compactum' - A dwarf form of the above. Grows only 6' tall and wide and can be kept even smaller.
Viburnum opulus 'Nanum' - A very dwarf form which rarely needs trimming. This is a sterile form which does not set flowers or fruit but the fall color is exceptional. Glowing yellow, orange and red!
Viburnum plicatum var. 'Tomentosum' - The Doublefile Viburnum. One of the most popular. Bright white flowers line both sides of the stem in late May giving the plant a distinct "layered appearance. Blooms heavily. Fruits are small, bright red and held in large clusters during July and August. Leaves are dull-green, heavily corrugated and very attractive. Grows to 10' tall and wide or more but easily kept smaller. Leaves turn maroon and purple in October and persist into November.
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Mariesii' - An improved Doublefile form. Flowers are slightly larger and tend to have heavier crops of berries. Habit is slightly more compact.
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Shasta' - Another form which grows much wider than tall. Grows to 6-7' tall and 10-12' wide or more. Performs very well in full shade where other Viburnums tend to decline.
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Shoshoni' - A compact form of the Shasta variety. Grows only 4-5' tall and 7-8' wide.
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Summer Snowflake' - A sterile form of the Doublfile viburnum. Flowers are small, but the plant blooms continuously from mid-May until mid October. Leaves are smaller than average. Habit is dense and upright oval to 10' but can be maintained at half that. Grows continuously throughout the season and may require several clippings to maintain its appearance.
Viburnum x pragense - The Prague Viburnum. Flower buds are pink, but open to white, lightly fragrant flowers in 3-6' wide clusters. Fruits are insignificant. Leaves are small, dark green, lustrous almost fully evergreen. Growth habit is dense and rounded to 10' tall and wide, but can be maintained at half that. Excellent for hedging and screening. This is a very attractive plant!
Viburnum prunifolium - The Blackhaw Viburnum. Creamy-white flowers in 2 to 4" diameter clusters. Flowers are attractive but not extremely showy. Fruits are 1/2 long and start pink though turn bluish-black at maturity. Foliage is dark green and attractive. Fall color is often good but can vary from year to year. Grows to 15' tall and 12' wide. Develops into a gorgeous small tree at maturity with a dense, gnarly branching pattern. Also makes a wonderful screening plant, even in the winter!
Viburnum rhytidophylloides 'Alleghany' - The Lantanaphyllum Viburnum. Yellow-white flowers in May. Fruits are bright red in September and turn blackish by later October. Leaves are large, dark green, heavily textured and semi-evergreen. Habit is coarse and fairly dense. Grows to 10' tall and wide or slightly larger but can be maintained at two thirds the mature size.
Viburnum rhytidophyllum - The Leatherleaf Viburnum. Yellow-white flowers are borne in very large clusters in mid-May. Fruits are bright red in September and change to black in October. Leaves are very large, dark green, heavily textured and semi-evergreen. Grows 10-15' in height and width. This is a very coarse and bold looking shrub which makes an excellent screening plant even in fairly dense shade.
Viburnum setigerum - The Tea Viburnum. White flowers are borne in mid to late May. Fruits are egg-shaped and bright red throughout the autumn months. This is perhaps the most beautiful of all viburnums when in fruit. Leaves are flattened and are soft blue-green in the summer. Grows to 12' tall and 9' wide but can be kept much smaller. Fall color can be a good reddish-purple if grown in full sun.
Viburnum seiboldii - The Seibold Viburnum. Flowers are large and creamy-white, borne in late May. They are showy but have an offensive odor while in bloom. Fruits are small, bright red and borne in large clusters in late summer. Leaves are very large, dark green, glossy and heavily corrugated. Grows to 20' tall and wide, but can be kept to half that. Makes a wonderful screening plant even in fairly dense shade. Fall color is usually not showy but can be a good reddish-purple in full sun.
Viburnum trilobum 'Alfredo' - A compact form of the American Cranberrybush Viburnum. Though the flowers and fruiting of this cultivar can be sparse, it is unrivaled in its fall color which is bright orange and red. Foliage is shiny, medium green and attractive throughout the summer. Grows to 6' tall and wide with a dense, rounded habit. A very attractive plant.
Viburnum trilobum 'Wentworth' - A heavy fruiting cultivar of the American Cranberrybush Viburnum. Flowers are bright white and very showy in later May. Fruits are large, shiny and bright red in the late summer and fall. Leaves are shiny and medium green. Grows to 12' tall and wide, but can be kept to half that. Fall color can be a good orange or red if grown in full sun. This plant rivals the Tea Viburnum for its showy fruits.