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Carlcephalum Viburnum

Viburnum (vih-BUR-num karl-sef-uh-lum)

Family: Viburnaceae Non-native Shrub (3-15 ft)

Fragrant Viburnum is a deciduous shrub that is easily grown in average to moist well-drained soils with good drought tolerance once established. It is a cross between V. carlesii and V. macrocephalum and grows 6-10 feet tall and wide. It grows as a multistemmed shrub with an open and rounded form. Fragrant Viburnum produces fragrant snow-ball type blooms in the spring and reddish fall color. For best fruit production plant in groups. Use a foundation plant, in shrub borders or as a hedge. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 62 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

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.

Fills a similar niche Syringa oblata Syringa persica Vitex agnus-castus

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 56 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Open; Spreading
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
3-5 inch long dark green leaves are egg-shaped with star-shaped hairs on the undersides. Reddish fall color.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Buds are pink and open to fragrant white tubular flowers on 5-6 inch round cymes in April and May.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Red drupe changes to black when mature.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Reddish-brown stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia
Wildlife value
Mildly resistant to deer. Attracts butterflies and birds.
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Fragrance; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Drupe

Uses (ethnobotany)

Used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Recreational Play Area
Landscape theme
Children's Garden; Cottage Garden
Design feature
Border; Foundation Planting; Hedge; Mass Planting; Screen/Privacy; Small groups
Garden tags
#deciduous #deer resistant #showy flowers #drought tolerant #white flowers #shrub #fragrant flowers #children's garden #pollinator plant #butterfly friendly #deciduous shrub #full sun tolerant #partial shade tolerant #fall interest #playground plant
Problems & Resistance
Other problems
Purple Mite
Resistant to
Deer; Drought

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.