Shiny Dancer® viburnum is a semi-evergreen cultivar in the Viburnaceae family bred by Dr. Tom Ranney of NCSU. It is a compact shrub growing 3 to 5 feet tall and wide. Grow Shiny Dancer® viburnum in full sun to partial shade in moist, slightly acidic, well-drained garden soils. It is resistant to deer, disease, humidity, and insects. Little pruning is needed, but if required, prune after flowering is completed. The very glossy corrugated leaves start reddish-bronze in the spring, become dark green in summer and turn shades of red in the fall. Spring brings abundant clusters of creamy-white flowers that are followed by red berries in the fall. It must be planted near V. 'Huron' or V. 'Chippewa' for fertilization and berry production. Use Shiny Dancer® viburnum as a hedge, as a specimen, in the back border of a pollinator garden, as a foundation plant or in small groups. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Generally pest and disease-free. 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.
Fills a similar nicheHydrangea paniculata Puffer Fish® 'NCHP1'Viburnum macrocephalumViburnum obovatum 'Raulston Hardy'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
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); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Rounded
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Brown/Copper; Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Very glossy corrugated leaves are reddish-bronze in spring, green in summer and become shades of red in the fall.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Cream/Tan; White
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Aboundant clusters of white flowers in spring
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Produces red berries if planted near V. 'Huron' or V. 'Chippewa'.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Flowers attract pollinators and berries attract birds.
Attracts
Pollinators; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Pollinator Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Border; Foundation Planting; Hedge; Small groups; Specimen