Plant Characteristics
- Zone: 6-9
- Height: 15-20'
- Spread: to 12'
- Form: Oval shrub
- Soil : well drained
- Growth: Fast
- Age at bloom: 3 yrs.
- Bloom: white
Chinese snowball viburnum has a dense round form reaching 20 feet tall,
so it needs to be sited where it will have space to grow. It can be trained
as a small tree, and it makes a wonderful specimen. It also fits well into
a woodland garden. It blooms on the previous season's old wood, so it should
be pruned for shaping soon after it finishes blooming. That is also the best
time to fertilize. It likes acidic, loamy soil that is moist but well drained;
however, it will adapt to a wide range of soil conditions. It is a low
maintenance shrub that is rarely bothered by pests or diseases. The plant
usually blooms from late April through early May, though bloom time is later
in more northern regions. The flower clusters start out lime green, then
mature to pure white. The flowers are not fragrant, but they do attract
butterflies. They are sterile, so there is no danger of invasiveness.
As beautiful as the blooms are in the garden, they also make outstanding
cut flowers.