Introduced in 1962 by Donald Egolf of the US National Arboretum, ‘Chesapeake’ is a cultivar of the hybrid cross of the medium size deciduous shrub fragrant snowball. This plant is in the Viburnaceae (viburnum) family. Its numerous tiny flowers form an attractive snowball on this plant. They begin in the spring as pink buds that will open to lightly fragrant white flowers. The leathery dark green foliage lasts well into the fall months, making this plant semi-evergreen. Pruning should be completed soon after flowering, as flower buds for the next year form in the summer of the current year. If pruning is done at that time, the plant will not produce fruits in the fall. Its habit is low growing, it will grow wider than tall, making it a great choice for planting under power lines. To produce fruits, this plant needs a different plant of the same species nearby. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious issues. Bacterial leaf spot and powdery mildew can occur. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and disease. More information on Viburnum x carlcephalum .
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 nicheCeratostigma willmottianumSyringa pubescens subsp. pubescensViburnum prunifolium 'Summer Magic'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
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
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Rounded; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Undulate
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The wavy edged leaves are dark grey-green. The fall will bring on a burgundy display.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Pink buds will open in the spring to form white flowers. The flowers have a light fragrance.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry; Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Dull red berries turn black when mature.
Stem detail
Multi-stemmed
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China
Wildlife value
Birds feast on the fruits while bees and butterflies visit the flowers.