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Service Viburnum

Viburnum utile (vih-BUR-num YOO-tih-lee)

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

Service Viburnum is a shrub from China that has an open form that is sometimes leggy. Plants are more compact with direct sunlight. It is evergreen in the southern part of its range and will grow 4-8 feet tall with a similar spread. Flowers are fragrant and showy and fruit set requires more than one shrub. It is tolerant of heat and a variety of soils and pH types. Has been used as a breeding parent for its glossy leaves and heat tolerance and is rarely used in the garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases. More information on Viburnum .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 57 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); 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.

Often confused with Viburnum x burkwoodii
Fills a similar niche Salvia rosmarinus Viburnum davidii Viburnum obovatum 'Raulston Hardy'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
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
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 7 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Multi-stemmed; Open
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
2.5 by 1 inch leathery dark green leaves with a wavy appearance. Undersides are whitish with sparse star-shaped hairs. Winter color is purple-tinged.
Fall color
Purple/Lavender
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Saucer; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
2-3 inch cymes with pink buds opening to waxy tubular white flowers in abundance.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Blue
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
0.2 in. red to bluish-black drupe
Bark detail
Grayish-brown bark
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China
Wildlife value
Mildly resistant to deer. Birds eat the berries.
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Design feature
Border
Garden tags
#evergreen #deer resistant #heat tolerant #showy flowers #border planting #white flowers #shrub #bird friendly #full sun tolerant #partial shade tolerant #showy fruits
Problems & Resistance
Other problems
Purple Mite
Resistant to
Deer
Propagation
Seed; Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.