Eastern Snowball Viburnum

Viburnum opulus ‘Sterile’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 3a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 10-12′

Width at Maturity: 10-12′

Spacing: 7-8′ for solid hedge; 16’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Broad, Rounded

Growth Rate: Moderate, Fast

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Up to 12″ diameter clusters

Flowering Period: Spring to Early Summer

Flower Type: Single in large clusters

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Bright Green to Purplish Red in fall

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun, Morning Sun With Afternoon Shade, Morning Shade with Afternoon Sun

Water Needs: Average, Low when established

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silty

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained to Dry When Established

Soil pH: 5.5 – 6.5 (Acid to Slightly Acid)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Insect, Extreme Cold

Description

A spectacular landscape specimen, the Eastern Snowball Viburnum is an extremely cold hardy selection that is prized for the LOADS of 6-12″ diameter snowball-shaped flower clusters that emerge apple green and turn to pure white in mid to late spring or early summer in the North. One of the best flowering shrub for cut flowers, the exquisite flower clusters great for cutting and display in your favorite vase. A sterile selection so there are no fruits and seedlings to worry about. Almost equally attractive are the 3-lobed maple-like bright green leaves that turn to a handsome purplish red in fall turn to red and yellow shades in fall Can be grown as a large shrub to around 10 feet tall and wide or lower branches can be removed to form a highly attractive small tree.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 10 to 12 feet tall and 10 to 12 feet wide at maturity, the Eastern Snowball Viburnum can be grown as a large shrub or lower branches can be removed to form a very attractive small tree ideal for use as an eye-catching specimen or grouping in landscape and flowering shrub borders. Also useful to frame corners, accentuate entryways, or as espalier (trained to grow flat against a wall) in home foundation plantings. A fine addition to cut flower gardens, white theme gardens, cottage gardens and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Growing Preferences

Viburnum is very easy to grow in most any average, moist but well drained soil and full sun to part shade. It prefers a loamy soil of average fertility. As with so many other ornamental plants, it does not like constantly soggy or wet conditions. Very drought tolerant when established and we’ve seen no serious pest or disease problems. Deer haven’t touched it in our gardens. For best flowering, at least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day is suggested. Responds very well to pruning for shaping, size control and tree forming. Prune as needed immediately after flowering.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Viburnums.

How To Plant And Care For Viburnum Plants

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