Viburnum is a genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs or small trees in the Viburnaceae family native to Asia, Europe and the Americas. They vary in size, leaf and flower shape. Viburums can grow from 4 to 20 feet tall and generally do best in full sun to partial shade. Most prefer moist, well-drained, fertile soils. It is best not to deadhead the flowers or you will loose the berry-like drupes. The flowers generally appear in spring and can be lace cap, domed, or snowball-shaped clusters in white to cream colors. They are followed by round drupes that can be showy and provide food for the birds. There are many species and cultivars to choose from. Choose the species that suits your landscape to use in the pollinator, cottage, Asian or English garden, and as a hedge, a specimen or a foundation plant. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for Viburnum Leaf Beetle, sap-suckers (aphids, mites, scale, mealybugs) and fungal issues like powdery mildew, downy mildew and Botryosphaeria canker .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 18 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire; Lobed; Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery; Smooth
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves vary from leathery, glossy or soft and margins can be toothed, lobed or smooth. Some have very nice fall color
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Cream/Tan; White
Flower form
Corymb; Cyme; Panicle
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers vary per species and can be fragrant or not, are usually white or cream and occur in spring. They can be lace cap, domed, or snowball-shaped clusters.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Blue; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Juicy or dry round drupe in red, blue or black.
Bark detail
Varies per species
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Attracts pollinators and birds
Attracts
Pollinators; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Cottage Garden; English Garden; Pollinator Garden; Winter Garden