A viburnum bush is a great addition to a yard if you're looking to add a beautiful low-maintenance white-flowering shrub. The Viburnaceae family, comprising five genera and more than 200 species, features trees and shrubs grown in temperate regions.
Many viburnums put on a showy display, producing white (sometimes tinged with pink) flowers in clusters called corymbs. Most species are dioecious, meaning that cross-pollination with another variety or species is needed for pollination to occur with a few being monoecious. If both sexes are present, the female flowers later produce drupes that are red, purple, blue, or black.
Here are 12 popular species of viburnum, sure to make a lovely addition to your landscape.
Warning
Some species of viburnum bush have edible berries, while other viburnum bushes produce mildly toxic berries that are mildly toxic to humans and animals if ingested in large quantities.
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Burkwood Viburnum
The Burkwood viburnum, also called snowball viburnum (though many viburnum are nicknamed "snowball"), was produced when the Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) and the service viburnum (Viburnum utile) were crossed. This species features large, balled flower clusters full of fragrance. You may want to plant several of these shrubs together, for better pollination and fruit production for fall color.
- Name: Burkwood (snowball) viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii)
- Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to Asia
- USDA Growing Zones: 4a-8a
- Mature Size: 6-10 ft. tall and wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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Cinnamon Viburnum
The leaves on the cinnamon viburnum (Viburnum cinnamomifolium), an evergreen shrub, are similar to those of the camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora). An Award of Garden Merit winner from the Royal Horticultural Society, this shrub has opposite leaves that are simple, thick, dark blue, and oval. It grows large and upright, with long petioles (leafstalks) and open flower clusters.
- Name: Cinnamon viburnum (Viburnum cinnamomifolium)
- Native Area: Western China
- USDA Growing Zones: 7a–9a
- Mature Size: 10–20 ft. tall and wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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David Viburnum
The David (Viburnum davidii) is a smaller evergreen viburnum, named for the Jesuit missionary, Jean Pierre Armand David, who discovered it. It has glossy, dark leaves and small white flowers that lead to small turquoise-blue fruit. Avoid placing the David viburnum in full sun with a southern exposure because it might burn the leaves.
- Name: David viburnum (Viburnum davidii)
- Native Area: Western China
- USDA Growing Zones: 7b–9a
- Mature Size: 2–3 ft. tall, 3-4 ft. wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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Henry's Viburnum
Henry's viburnum (Viburnum henryi) shrub can be trained into a small tree by pruning away competing leaders to establish a single trunk. This moderately fast-growing shrub was discovered by botanist Augustine Henry. Its evergreen leaves are reddish when young and shift to green, and this plant is especially attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds due to its fragrant flowers.
- Name: Henry's viburnum (Viburnum henryi)
- Native Area: Southwest China
- USDA Growing Zones: 7–10
- Mature Size: 7–15 ft., 6 ft. wide
- Sun Exposure: Partial
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Korean Spice Viburnum
Korean spice (Viburnum carlesii) is a diminutive species of viburnum with white or pink flowers that add a spiced scent to your landscape. This deciduous species provides changing colors, too, in the fall when its large clusters of waxy flowers with bright red berries fade to black. Many gardeners plant this viburnum shrub near windows, patios, and living areas for the fragrance alone.
- Name: Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii)
- Native Area: Japan, Korea
- USDA Growing Zones: 4b–7a
- Mature Size: 4–6 ft. tall, 4–7 ft. wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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Laurustinus Viburnum
The similarity of its leaves to those those of the bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) give laurustinus viburnum its common name. This beautiful evergreen shrub (Viburnum tinus) has glossy dark-green foliage, a light fragrance, and pink-white flowers. In warmer areas, it will bloom during the winter.
- Name: Laurustinus viburnum (Viburnum tinus)
- Native Area: Mediterranean, northern Africa
- USDA Growing Zones: 7-9
- Mature Size: 6–12 ft. tall, 6-10 ft. wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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Leatherleaf Viburnum
The leatherleaf viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum) does well in any soil as it can adapt to both acidic and alkaline pH values. This shrub creates flat cyme clusters of creamy white flowers in the spring as well as berries in the early fall. It's either evergreen or deciduous, depending on the climate in which it's grown.
- Name: Leatherleaf viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum)
- Native Area: Central and Western China
- USDA Growing Zones: 5b–8a
- Mature Size: 10–15 ft. tall and wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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Nannyberry
You can eat nannyberries (Viburnum lentago) straight from the plant or cook them to make jams and jellies. Some think this viburnum shrub smells like a sheep or a goat, inspiring the common name sheepberry. It's a drought-tolerant plant and easily grown in average, medium soils. When the flowers drop in the fall, blue-black, berry-like drupes appear. This multistemmed shrub has oval, finely toothed leaves that change from glossy dark green to yellow, red, and purple in autumn.
- Name: Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
- Native Area: Eastern North America
- USDA Growing Zones: 3a-7a
- Mature Size: 15–18 ft. tall, 8-10 ft. wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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Snowball Bush
While there are several species of viburnum called the snowball bush, Viburnum opulus is the most common. Its white flowers are produced in large round clusters, and the scarlet fruit somewhat resembles a cranberry (thus, it's also known as the European cranberrybush). This multistemmed plant looks very similar to the hydrangea, but it's larger, and its leaves are deeply veined. This plant is considered invasive in many areas, so planting it is discouraged in the United States from the Northeast to the Upper Midwest.
- Name: Snowball bush (Viburnum opulus)
- Native Area: Europe, northwestern Africa, Asia Minor, Caucasus, Central Asia
- USDA Growing Zones: 2b-8a
- Mature Size: 6–12 ft. tall, 6–10 ft. wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
2:39Watch Now: How to Care for a Snowball Bush (Viburnum opulus)
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Arrowwood Viburnum
If you have a spot in your garden that receives part shade, the arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is a good choice to fill it. This shrub can grow quite tall and has multiple, erect-arching stems that form a loose, round growth habit. White and flat-topped flower clusters with lustrous green foliage turn several colors in the fall. The fruits of this viburnum shrub are blue when mature and contrast nicely with the autumn foliage.
- Name: Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)
- Native Area: Eastern North America
- USDA Growing Zones: 2a–8a
- Mature Size: 6–15 ft. tall and wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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Tubeflower Viburnum
One feature that makes the tubeflower viburnum (Viburnum cylindricum) stand out is the waxy coating on its leaves. If marks are made on the leaves, they'll remain. This bold evergreen has fragrant tubular flowers and long drooping leaves with a rounded and spreading habit. The flowers become black drupes after pollination.
- Name: Tubeflower viburnum (Viburnum cylindricum)
- Native Area: China, Indian subcontinent, Indo-China, Malaysia
- USDA Growing Zones: 5–9
- Mature Size: 8–16 ft. tall and wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial
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Wayfaring Tree
The wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana) is a large, rounded specimen frequently chosen for its adaptability and reliability. It has thick, dark-green leaves; white spring flowers; and a "leggy" growth habit. This viburnum tree does well under drought conditions, but it may be invasive in some areas, and it can attract the viburnum leaf beetle so it's always best to consult with your local nursery on those issues.
- Name: Wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana)
- Native Area: Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
- USDA Zones: 4b–7a
- Mature Size: 10–15 ft. tall and wide
- Sun Exposure: Full, partial