Winter is a great time to take stock of the garden.  Are there aging plants that need replacing?  Do you have an open area for a large, attractive shrub?  Are you thinking about planting a hedge to provide privacy or screen out a less-than-desirable view?  Would you like to have flowers to bring indoors for floral arrangements in the spring?  If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, you should think about planting one or more species of Viburnum. 

The genus Viburnum comprises over 150 evergreen and deciduous shrubs and small trees, many of which do very well in our Butte County environment.  In addition to providing structure and interest to the home garden, many viburnums are drought tolerant and often provide fruits for birds to feed on.  Some species produce highly fragrant flowers.  And deciduous viburnum species can add lovely fall color to the garden before their leaves drop.

The following are just a few of the Viburnum species that do particularly well in our area.

Viburnum tinus (Laurustinus).  This evergreen shrub is fast-growing in full sun or partial shade and creates a dense hedge of leathery oval, dark green, two-to-three-inch-long leaves.  Allegedly only growing to 12 feet, examples have been spotted in Chico that easily reach 15 ft. or more.  In early spring, tiny pink buds open up to clusters of white flowers that are long-lasting and fragrant; when the flowers finally drop, they are followed by equally long-lasting clusters of blue/black fruits that are loved by birds and may hang on until summer.  V.tinus can be kept tidy by pruning, but if the possibility of a 15-foot hedge alarms you, dwarf and compact varieties are available.

Viburnum carlesii (Korean Spice Viburnum).  This is a Viburnum for real lovers of scent in the garden.  It has a looser growing habit than V.tinus, is considerably shorter, reaching 6 to 8 feet, and is deciduous.  Its springtime blooms are similar to those of V.tinus, with the exception of being more powerfully scented, a lovely surprise in the springtime garden.  V.carlesii is also a little more delicate, preferring part shade in our summer heat.

Viburnum davidii.  For a lower-growing shrub that provides nice structure in front of taller plants, V.davidii is a good choice.  It is evergreen, with large oval leaves of up to six inches.  It prefers partial shade, and, if happy, can produce clusters of brilliantly-colored metallic blue fruit.

Viburnum opulus ‘Sterile' (Common Snowball).  Deciduous in colder climates, V.opulous is nearly evergreen here.  A taller Viburnum, it can reach up to 15 feet, but is easily kept in bounds.  Its leaves are lighter green and maple-shaped.  In spring it has snowball-like flower clusters about two-and-a-half inches across, which start out lime green and turn to white.  The flowering stems make a spectacular display as cut flowers indoors.  This Viburnum bears no fruit.

Viburnum plicatum tomentosum (Doublefile Viburnum).  This is perhaps saving the best for last, as the Doublefile may be the most stunning viburnum in the landscape.  It is deciduous, but that is all the better for displaying its beautiful tiered growth habit – the branches move outwards in a series of almost parallel horizontal layers, clearly evident as soon as the new shoots begin to appear in spring.  In late spring and early summer, white lacecap flowerheads two-to-four inches across line the upper sides of the branches.  The flowers eventually give way to red fruits which turn to black.  In the fall the leaves turn a pale shade of red, accented by brighter or pinker tones. 

These are just a few of the interesting shrubs in the hard-working viburnum genus.  If you have space for a new shrub, think about adding a viburnum to your garden.

If there's a local gardener on your gift list this holiday season, why not give them a Butte County Garden Guide and Three-Year Journal?  Compiled and edited by the UC-trained Master Gardeners of Butte County, this county-specific book contains tips for every home gardener. All proceeds from the guide go to the Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch and other Master Gardener community outreach projects in Butte County. The Garden Guide is available in Chico at Magnolia Gift and Garden, The Plant Barn, and the Master Gardener booth at the Saturday Farmers Market. It can also be ordered online on our website.

UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system.  To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area visit our website.  If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu or leave a phone message on our Hotline at 530-552-5812. To speak to a Master Gardener about a gardening issue, or to drop by the MG office during Hotline hours, see the most current information on our Ask Us section of our website.