Gardening Plants & Flowers Shrubs

12 Species of Viburnum Shrubs

Celebrated for blossoms and berries, grow these reliable bushes in your garden

By
Vanessa Richins Myers
Vanessa Richins Myers
Vanessa Richins Myers has a BS in horticulture and over 10 years of training and experience as a professional horticulturist and gardener.
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Updated on 04/17/24
Reviewed by
Mary Marlowe Leverette
mary marlowe leverette spruce gardening board
Reviewed by Mary Marlowe Leverette
Mary has been a Master Gardener for 30+ years and a commercial and residential gardener for 50+ years. She is a former Clemson University Extension Agent.
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Fact checked by
Jillian Dara
Jillian Dara
Fact checked by Jillian Dara
Jillian is a freelance journalist with 10 years of editorial experience in the lifestyle genre. She is a writer and fact checker for TripSavvy, as well as a fact-checker for The Spruce.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Snowball viburnum closeup

The Spruce / Autumn Wood

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.

  • 01 of 12

    Burkwood Viburnum

    Burkwood viburnum

    Robert Murray / Getty Images

    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
  • 02 of 12

    Cinnamon Viburnum

    Cinnamon-leaved viburnum

    Peganum/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

    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
  • 03 of 12

    David Viburnum

    David viburnum
    Imladris01 / Getty Images

    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
  • 04 of 12

    Henry's Viburnum

    Henry's viburnum

    Wlcutler/Flickr/CC BY 2.0

    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
    Continue to 5 of 12 below
  • 05 of 12

    Korean Spice Viburnum

    Korean Spice viburnum
    Jennifer McClure / Getty Images

    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
  • 06 of 12

    Laurustinus Viburnum

    Laurustinus viburnum
    IHervas / Getty Images

    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
  • 07 of 12

    Leatherleaf Viburnum

    Leatherleaf viburnum
    Alexander Denisenko / Getty Images

    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
  • 08 of 12

    Nannyberry

    Nannyberry
    Ce Visual Artist / Getty Images

    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
    Continue to 9 of 12 below
  • 09 of 12

    Snowball Bush

    Snowball bush
    Michele Ursi / Getty Images

    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
    2:39

    Watch Now: How to Care for a Snowball Bush (Viburnum opulus)

  • 10 of 12

    Arrowwood Viburnum

    Arrowwood viburnum

     

    Deb Perry / Getty Images

    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
  • 11 of 12

    Tubeflower Viburnum

    Tubeflower viburnum

    Peganum/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

    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
  • 12 of 12

    Wayfaring Tree

    Wayfaring tree
    Javier Fernández Sánchez / Getty Images

    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

Tip

Moderation is key to growing viburnums successfully. These plants thrive in average soil conditions, have moderate (weekly) watering needs, have moderate feeding requirements (once each season), and prefer moderate weather conditions (neither too hot nor too cold).

How to Grow and Care for Doublefile Viburnum Shrubs
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  1. Guide to the Genera of Lianas and climbing plants in the Neotropics. Smithsonian Institute of Natural History

  2. What is This Fruit and is it Edible? South Dakota State University Extension.

  3. Award of Garden Merit (AGM). RHS.

  4. David Viburnum. Washington State University Extension.

  5. Viburnum lentago. North Carolina State University.