Sweet viburnum

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; flowering and growth are densest with good light.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but grow best with deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Moist, well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Avoid persistently wet ground.

Height

15-30 ft (4.6-9.1 m) if left unpruned

Spread

10-20 ft (3-6.1 m)

Flowers

Spring; small, fragrant white flowers in branching clusters.

Foliage

Evergreen. Large, leathery, glossy green leaves arranged in opposite pairs; new growth may be bronze-tinted.

Growth

Fast in warm conditions with adequate moisture.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   2.7 ft (0.82 m)

2. After 1 year

   9 ft (2.7 m)

3. After 2 years

   15 ft (4.5 m)

4. After 3 years

   21 ft (6.4 m)

5. After 5 years

   22 ft (6.9 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Invasive in

Australia

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply through the first growing season, allowing the soil surface to begin drying between waterings.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Apply a modest amount of slow-release shrub fertiliser in spring if growth is weak; avoid heavy feeding.
• Allow for its mature width rather than planting close to walls or narrow paths.
• Choose shelter from cold, drying winds near the colder end of its range.

Pruning. Prune after flowering, shortening long shoots and removing dead, damaged or crossing branches. For a hedge, keep the base wider than the top and avoid hard pruning late in the growing season.

Early spring

Check for winter damage and remove dead wood once new growth makes it easy to identify.

Spring

Refresh mulch and feed lightly if the plant is growing poorly.

Late spring

After flowering, shape the shrub or trim the hedge.

Summer

Water deeply during extended dry weather and inspect new shoots for aphids or scale.

Autumn

In mild climates, plant new shrubs while the soil is warm and rainfall is increasing.

Winter

Protect recently planted shrubs from severe cold and avoid pruning ahead of frost.

• Use as a tall boundary screen where there is enough width for a substantial evergreen hedge.
• Grow as a loose flowering backdrop behind camellias, azaleas and shade-tolerant perennials.
• Train a specimen into a small multi-stemmed tree to provide light shade in a large courtyard.
• Plant near a seating area to enjoy the spring fragrance, leaving enough space to avoid frequent clipping.

Garden styles it suits: Formal, Southern, Modern tropical, Traditional, Sensory garden and Green on green.

Plant it with: Camellias, Azaleas, Gardenias, Lilyturf, Cast-iron plant and Clivias.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other insects. Birds may eat the red berries, which ripen to black, and use dense plants for shelter; closely clipped hedges produce fewer flowers and fruits.

• Root rot in waterlogged soil: improve drainage before planting and reduce watering; badly affected plants may need replacing.
• Scale insects and associated sooty mould: inspect stems and leaf undersides, manage ants, and use horticultural oil according to the label.
• Aphids on soft shoots: wash off small colonies with water and preserve ladybirds and other natural predators.
• Frost-scorched foliage: choose a sheltered site, protect young plants during cold snaps and wait until spring growth before cutting back damaged shoots.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. The berries are not intended as food, and eating substantial amounts of berries or foliage may cause digestive upset.

Where it spreads. Reported as an emerging environmental weed in south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, Australia, where birds can spread its seeds into bushland. Check local weed advice before planting near natural vegetation.

• Awabuki viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki)

  Often sold under the same common name; it typically has thicker, more conspicuously glossy leaves. Botanical treatments differ, and it may also be labelled Viburnum awabuki.

• Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus)

  Usually smaller, with smaller leaves, pink flower buds and flatter clusters of white flowers in winter or early spring.

• Japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum)

  Has generally smaller leaves and cream-white flower panicles appearing later, usually in early summer; fruits are dark rather than passing through a conspicuous red stage.

The Latin epithet odoratissimum means 'very fragrant', referring to the flowers.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer and root them in a free-draining medium under humid conditions. Seed is slower and does not reliably preserve cultivar characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Viburnum odoratissimum

Native range

Assam, Bangladesh, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sulawesi, Taiwan and Thailand.

Measured

Average height 1200 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.