As you begin thinking about spring landscape gardening , conceive viburnums to add variety to your garden . These plants range in size from two- to three - foot shrub to 30 - foot tree and have first-class foliage , attractive and often fragrant blossom , showy yield , and an interesting winter appearance .
While relatively few of our aboriginal viburnums have found their style into the commercial landscape deal , many work well in naturalistic options and allow for splendid covering and intellectual nourishment for birds . loan-blend , cultivars , and native Viburnum are quite hardy in most areas of Vermont .
Viburnums are immune to serious insect plague and adapt well to a variety of stain and environmental circumstance . They are a good selection for busy gardener because they postulate little pruning .
American Cranberrybush Viburnum ( V. trilobum ) is perhaps best known , as it is native , hardy , and has edible ruby-red fruits in crepuscle , which are dandy for piddle jellies ( and of course , for wench , too ) . It grows upright , about eight to10 foot high . There are several cultivars of this to believe as well , such as ‘ Bailey Compact ’ , ‘ Compactum ’ , and ‘ Alfredo , ’ which grows only five to six feet tall .
Compact Koreanspice Viburnum ( V. carlesii ‘ Compactum ’ ) and Compact European Cranberrybush ( V. opulus ‘ Compactum ’ ) are ideal for spaces with only three or four feet of planting field .
In the bound Koreanspice is covered with pinkish fragrant flower clusters the sizing of tennis balls . The Compact Cranberrybush bring forth flower that are white , slightly fragrant , and develop in monotonous - topped clusters . Koreanspice fruit is not especially showy , but the shining red , sarcoid fruit on the Cranberrybush in decline is very attractive . It grows in dense cluster several inches across .
The standard word form of Koreanspice Viburnum is a good average landscape industrial plant as it only grows five to six understructure high with an adequate spread . Its dull green foliage turns bright scarlet in the fall .
Burkwood Viburnum ( V. burkwoodii ) is similar to Koreanspice in form , flower , and fragrance although the burkwood has partially evergreen leaves . Koreanspice is one of its parent .
Onandago Viburnum ( V. sargentii ‘ Onandaga ’ ) is quite hardy and a good survival of the fittest for its purplish leave in spring , which change by reversal dark green in the summer . Its clustering of white flowers contrast nicely with the leaves . It can reach heights of eight to 12 feet and grows in an upright oval soma . As it is quite vigorous , do n’t overfertilize it .
These are only a few of the many genus Viburnum desirable for landscapes . Others are key out in Landscape Plants for Vermont , a University of Vermont ( UVM ) extension phone publishing . To order a written matter , send $ 17 ( includes shipping ) to the Vermont Master Gardener Program , UVM Extension Office , 655 - A Spear St. , Burlington , Vt . 05404 - 0107 . Make checks collectible to “ Vermont Master Gardener Program . ”
VIBURNUMS FOR VARIETY
By Dr. Leonard PerryExtension Nursery and Greenhouse SpecialistUniversity of Vermont
