Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: What's your experience with Viburnum x Sarcoxy, 0 by ViburnumValley

ViburnumValley wrote:
Hi, growin; just writing my usual footnoted epistle...

You've asked the right question in the right place.

'Sarcoxie' is a better correct spelling, but as long as you find the right information you'll be fine. I've not grown this plant here (because it is remarkably similar to several others I am growing), but I've seen it in arboreta and read enough about it to be confident of the descriptive information.

According to Dirr, this plant was created by Dale Wild of Sarcoxie Nursery in Missouri (http://sarcoxienursery.com/) from a backcross of V. x burkwoodii x V. carlesii). It is supposed to be upright in youth and more rounded with maturity with 2-3" fragrant flowers. As I've experienced it, it doesn't much differ from V. x carlcephalum.

Additional note from Dirr...a new Bailey Nursery introduction trademarked as American Spice ('Duvone') was selected from a block of 'Sarcoxie' growing in Michigan. It has a relatively compact form at 4' x 4.5' in 14 years, and tolerated -20F during winter of '93-94 without snow protection. That sounds like a V. x burkwoodii to me, too, albeit potentially smaller.

Here's Classic Viburnums own description of 'Sarcoxie':

Quoting:Introduced in 1972 as the result of a cross between V. carlesi and V. x Burkwoodii by A.O. Wild of Sarcoxy Nursery in Sarcoxy MO. Fortunately, this selection has inherited the fragrance of both of its parents. It was reported to me by Darrell Kopf of Sarcoxy Nursery that there were just a few of these plants in a block of nursery stock but the fragrance could be smelled throughout the entire area. Its advantages over V. carlesi are that it fills out faster through secondary branching without pruning. It also produces more flower clusters per plant than V. carlesi with buds being set at almost every branch terminal. Foliage is dark green, glossy and elliptical similar to that of V. x Burkwoodii but has much more foliage and closer internodes giving it a much fuller appearance. Fragrant white flowers in April. Fall color is reddish-purple. In Nebraska, it is semi-evergreen, making it a very unique fragrant viburnum. Due its lack of publicity, this selection never received the notoriety that it truly deserves. Grows to 7’. Zone 4

So...Classic Viburnums likes it better than plain V. x burkwoodii or plain V. carlesii.

I'd vote for V. x 'Cayuga'. This is an US National Arboretum introduction, and a fabulous fragrant spring blooming viburnum. You could look it up, and...

You can never have too many viburnums.