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Versatile
Viburnums
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Unfortunately, one of the most
versatile groups of shrubs for Wyobraska landscapes
is also one of the least known by local homeowners.
Ask the average Wyobraska homeowner, “What’s a
viburnum?” and you’re likely to get an answer that
has something to do with a device that eases muscle
aches and pains. But in reality viburnums are a
group of medium to large shrubs, many of which are
well-adapted to Wyobraska landscapes, and which are
also very useful landscape plants.
Several factors make viburnums such useful landscape
plants. First, their excellent adaptability to the
region’s soils. Most can be grown successfully in
landscapes with only standard soil amending—no
heroic measures required. Second, the hardiest of
the viburnums are sufficiently cold hardy to grow
and bloom reliably year after year. And third,
their large shrub-small tree size and habit |
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Blackhaw viburnum (viburnum prunifolium) This
viburnum has not been widely used around the
Wyobraska region, but it probably should be. It is
an 8-10’ tall plant with a dense branching
structure. The foliage is a glossy green in
summer. On some cultivars, the new leaves
feature a reddish cast. Spring bloom color is
white. Fall color is red. I recently ran across a
beautiful mature specimen of this plant in Alliance,
Nebraska.
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makes them the perfect
plant choice for many spots in a landscape for which
that size plant is needed. It is the medium to
large shrub size of viburnums that makes them the
dependable “background” shrubs that are essential to
a well-designed landscape. All landscapes require
plants to screen views, separate one space from
another, and screen the vertical architectural lines
of buildings. These functional, structural plants
are sometimes called the “bones” of a landscape.
Viburnums make great landscape bones.
What keeps viburnums such a
well-kept secret is that, for most of the growing
season, they are not particularly showy shrubs.
Their full summertime foliage, in varying shades
of green, gives a landscape that consistent green
background to show off summer blooming shrubs and
perennial flowers. Their winter branching structure
is neat and substantial. But viburnums aren’t
quiet background plants for the entire year. In
fact, one of their best features is that they
contribute landscape color during the two seasons
when color is in short supply in Wyobraska
landscapes—spring and fall.
Almost all viburnums offer a dependable spring
bloom—mostly white flowers in mid-spring. The bloom
typically becomes a late summer fruit or berry in
colors ranging from blue to red to orange. And best
of all, with a few exceptions, the red fall foliage
of viburnums is among the best in the shrub world.
Juddii Viburnum
A garden without a
viburnum is akin to life
without music or art.
- Michael A. Dirr
Click here for more pictures
and information on Viburnums |
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Named cultivars include:
Koreanspice viburnum (viburnum
carlesii) This viburnum is more of a spreading
medium sized shrub. Its flowers are pink and very
fragrant, hence the common name. Expect this plant
to get 6-8 feet tall with a similar spread. The
koreanspice viburnum has been among the most widely
hybridized viburnums, and many of the resulting
cultivars also appear to be suitable for Wyobraska
landscapes. The goal of much of the hybridization
seems to have been to produce even better flower
quality. One cultivar—Juddi Viburnum has pink buds
which open to fragrant white flowers.
Burkwood viburnum (viburnum
burkwoodi) This is a cross between the Korean spice
viburnum and another viburnum common to the eastern
United States. It has a somewhat more uniform
growth habit than either of its parents and is
reportedly somewhat hardier than the Koreanspice
viburnum. It typically forms a rounded plant
reaching 8 feet in height and six feet across.
Arrowood viburnums might fall into the “not so fast”
class. Arrowood viburnums are among the most
popular viburnums nationally because of their neat
upright form and clean foliage with good red fall
color. There are numerous cultivars of this species
as a result. I have tried two or three with
mixed results—it would appear because of soil
adaptability problems. However one viburnum expert
I trust assures me that a cultivar called ‘Chicago
Lustre’ is definitely worth trying.
Cranberry viburnum is the common name for the
viburnum species that includes the popular “snowball
bush”. The snowball bush does have it’s moment when
it is in bloom, but it has little to offer the rest
of the year. There are several cranberry viburnums
that are excellent Wyobraska shrubs. I suggest
cultivars named ‘wentworth’, ‘sargenti’, and ‘red
wing’. All tend to be 8’ shrubs with a little more
open habit than other viburnums, with outstanding
spring bloom, excellent berry color in late summer,
and good red fall color.
Arrowwood Viburnum |