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Viburnum carlesii

Phonetic Spelling
vih-BUR-num KARLS-ee-eye
Description

Korean Viburnum prefers sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil including clay. It has a rounded, irregular dense form with stiff upright branches. The blooms are showy and fragrant. It flowers on old wood so prune immediately after flowering is completed. Use as a hedge, in shrub borders or a foundation plant. Very fragrant flowers appear in mid to late spring. Fall coloration reddish-burgundy, but inconsistent. The rootstock of grafted plants tends to sucker.

Quick ID

  • Characteristic fissuring along old, gray stems
  • Fragrant mid-spring, terminal white inflorescence
  • OPPOSITE leaves are ovate, serrate, and pubescent
  • Inflorescence a hemispherical cyme to 3 inches across

 Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Aurora', 'Cayuga', 'Compactum', 'Spiro Spice Girl'
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#shrub#deer resistant#acidic soils tolerant#fantz#partial shade tolerant#shrub borders
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Aurora', 'Cayuga', 'Compactum', 'Spiro Spice Girl'
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#shrub#deer resistant#acidic soils tolerant#fantz#partial shade tolerant#shrub borders
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Viburnum
    Species:
    carlesii
    Family:
    Viburnaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Korea, Japan
    Wildlife Value:
    Birds will eat the fruits.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    3 feet-6 feet
    6-feet-12 feet
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Blue
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    0.3 in. red drupe turns bluish-black in fall
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Cyme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Shape:
    Tubular
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    The inflorescence is a dense, terminal, hemispherical cyme, 2-3 inches across. Flowers are pinkish to red in bud, white when open, very fragrant, to half an inch wide. Blooms early spring.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    2-4 inch long dull dark green to gray-green leaves in pairs, that are copper-colored when young. Undersides are pubescent. Not reliable for fall color.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Fissured
    Bark Description:
    Bark is gray and fissuring
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Young stems are pubescent
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Foundation Planting
    Hedge
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Black Walnut
    Deer