Viburnums: Shrubs with Four Season
Interest
Viburnums are some of the most attractive, versatile, adaptable
shrubs for the home landscape. They can be used as hedges or screens
as well as in mixed perennial/shrub borders, but they can also stand
alone as specimen plants. They usually take the form of shrubs,
but some species can become spectacular small ornamental trees.
They range in size from the Dwarf American Cranberrybush at 2 feet
tall by 2 feet wide, to the Wayfaring Tree at 12 feet tall and 10
feet wide.
Viburnums are plants with four seasons of interest. All Viburnums
have profuse white to pink flowers in the spring. They have large,
attractive and often highly textured leaves. Showy midsummer berries
are an important food source for birds. Colorful red to purple leaves
in the fall persist well into the winter, when Viburnums’ dramatic
branching structure is revealed and enhanced by a dusting of snow.
But the best feature of Viburnums is their adaptability. While
they would prefer full sun and moderately watered, well-drained
rich soils, they are not picky and most (unless otherwise noted
in the table below) will grow very well in part shade in alkaline,
clay soils. Diseases and pests rarely attack them. Their fibrous
root system makes them very easy to transplant.
If you are searching for a good-looking hardy shrub or small tree
for sun or partial shade, consider one of the many members of the
Viburnum family.
| Viburnums: |
| Name |
Ht/Width
Zone
|
Shape |
Comments |
Arrowood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
|
6-8 ft/ 6-8 ft
zone 2
|
Rounded |
Multi-stem dense, round shrub with narrow
arching branches. |
Wayfaring Tree
Viburnum lantana |
10-12 ft/8-10 ft
zone 3 |
Upright rounded |
Can be shrub or small tree. Great blue-green
leathery foliage. Burgundy red fall color. |
| Mohican viburnum Viburnum lantana
‘Mohican’ |
8-9 ft/ 8-9 ft
zone 3 |
Rounded |
Variety of V. lantana selected for it’s
more compact form. |
| Nannyberry Viburnum Viburnum lentago |
12-14 ft/ 8-12 ft
zone 2 |
Upright rounded |
Glossy green foliage turns brilliant orange
red in fall. Can be shrub or small tree. |
| Compact European Cranberrybush Viburnum
opulus ‘Compactum’ |
4-5ft / 5-6 ft
zone 3 |
Rounded |
Light green foliage turns purplish red in
fall. Great small shrub for mass plantings and seasonal interest |
Dwarf European Cranberrybush
Viburnum opulus ‘Nanum’ |
1-2 ft / 1-2 ft
zone 3 |
Compact rounded |
Extremely dense compact shrub. |
| Allegheny Viburnum Viburnum x rhytidophylloides
‘Allegheny’ |
8-10 ft/ 8-10 ft
zone 4 |
Rounded |
Wrinkled leaves have a nice texture. |
Onondaga Viburnum
Viburnum sargentii ‘Onondaga’ |
6 ft/ 6 ft
zone 3 |
Rounded |
Foliage emerges a velevty maroon, maintaining
a maroon tinge when mature. Pale purple flowers. Needs more
moisture than other Viburnums. |
American Cranberrybush
Viburnum trilobum |
10-12 ft/ 8-10 ft
zone 2 |
Broad upright |
‘Wentworth’ cultivar selected
for profuse flowering and fruit with excellent flavor, ideal
for preserves.
Red fall color. Full sun. |
Compact American Cranberrybush
Viburnum trilobum ‘Compactum’ |
4-5ft/ 4-5 ft
zone 2 |
Rounded |
Light green grape-leaf shaped Foliage turns
dark red in fall Dense shrub adds visual interest in winter. |
April - May 2002: Viburnums: Shrubs with
Four Season Interest | Discouraging Canada
Geese | Yellowjacket Control—Now is
the Best Time to Do It | Growing Orchids
|
