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Eskimo Viburnum

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

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

Eskimo Viburnum is a US National Arboretum introduction. It is a dense compact shrub that grows to 5 feet tall and wide. The snowball flowers are very showy and fruit production is sparse. It prefers a well-drained, acidic, loamy soil and full sun to part shade but will tolerate a variety of soils. 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 utile .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 50 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0)
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 Asplenium rhizophyllum Berberis x hortensis 'Arthur Menzies' Illicium anisatum

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)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Orange
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Up to 4 inches long leathery, glossy dark green leaves; yellow, orange, or red fall color.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Black; Gold/Yellow; White
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Creamy white tubular flowers in a 3-4 in. ball-like cluster in spring
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Red drupe turns black in fall. Produced sparsely.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asian cultivar
Attracts
Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Design feature
Border; Foundation Planting; Hedge
Garden tags
#evergreen #deer resistant
Problems & Resistance
Other problems
Purple Mite
Resistant to
Deer

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.