Viburnum Species, Leatherleaf Viburnum

I've had great luck with this shrub in heavy shade. It takes little water, and actually re-bloomed for me this year. It has been leaf per...Read Moresistant for the past two winters. I have yet to see any fruiting.

This is my favorite Viburnum. It has had no pest problems even though my V. sieboldii have gotten borers and most of my tea viburnums suc...Read Morecumbed to some kind of black fungal growth. I have two distinct clones, one of which loses its leaves cleanly in the winter. The other holds its leaves into the following spring, so that it looks a bit messy until the new leaves grow. It also tolerates a good deal of shade and drought. I have some plants that I propagated by layering and that are growing under a huge maple. They're leggy, but they manage to hold on and even flower where most plants would not.

The leatherleaf viburnum is a large evergreen shrub to 15' or taller native to western China. It has an upright habit that opens with ag...Read Moree. Fragran, showy, yellowish-white flowers in clusters 4"-8" across appear in mid-May. The fruit is exceptional, ripening in September from red maturing to black and each cluster can contain all colors at the same time. Best fruiting occurs when several cloes are planted together.

The leatherleaf viburnum prefers well drained soil protected from wind, is shade tolerant, and responds well to pruning. It is useful in mass plantings, for flowers and fruit, and as a bird attractant, and has few insect or disease problems. It can be propogated by cuttins and by seed.