The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

Posted on by Posted in Shrubs .

This is a re-post of an older entry of mine (with a few tweaks) but felt it was appropriate for this time of year as we anxiously wait for the viburnum blooms to emerge. This one has been a consistent performer for me since day one. Enjoy:       

All gardeners are in search of plants that offer multi-seasonal interest, especially those of us living in colder climates. We also love plants that are dynamic and change throughout the seasons; plants that reinvent themselves as the months go by. Well ladies and gents, I would like to share one of those with you today.

I have lived in my current home for about six years and when we moved in, we had a completely blank slate. Not a plant to be found other than one large tree at the back of the property. The first shrub I planted was a Viburnum Plicatum ‘Shoshoni’. I had never had owned one before (do we really own our plants? A debate for another day) since I didn’t have enough space. Viburnums are typically large specimens but when I found ‘Shoshoni’ at the local nursery (thank you Rutgers Nursery) I was pumped to see that is was more diminutive than most.

Some of it’s attributes:        

  • It is a doublefile viburnum and a seedling of the larger, more well known ‘Shasta’ 
  • It reaches a height of 5 feet and a width of 8 feet
  • Survives from zone 5 to zone 8 
  • Deciduous shrub 
  • It has been deer resistant so far for me (although now jinxed)
  • Blooms in the late Spring, typically for 2-3 weeks in May
  • The flowers are flat topped and are not fragrant (although I have no sense of smell and cannot confirm officially)
  • Thrive in part shade to full sun
  • Produces red berries in August that mature black (I must admit I do not know if the fact that I have other viburnums present lead to the production of berries since this was my first year with berries )  
  • Tolerant of most soil types (including NJ clay)  

Here it is fully leafed out in early spring

In full bloom in May

The leaves curled after blooming giving it an interesting design appeal

The berries emerging in August (which were quickly eaten by the birds)

Phenomenal fall color prior to the leaves falling off

The branch structure even provides a level of interest in the dead of winter

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14 Responses

  1. I must say she/he is impressive in every season…I think we probably rent our plants until they are ready to move on to where ever it is they go.

  3. Viburnums are such beautiful plants and so many great varieties! I am taking photos of my Koren Spice Viburnum for a post on it.

  4. What a beautiful viburnum! I confess my garden lacks a single viburnum but it is there on my list. I think I will be starting with a cranberry viburnum as it is one of our natives. I am somewhat concerned about the viburnum leaf beetle but I must try. If the beetle does become a problem, I will have to explore resistant varieties that are not native. There are so many beautiful ones to choose from – like yours!

  7. Viburnum plicatum ‘Mariesii’ is what we have. I planted it below the front hillside so that when it is bloom we have a remarkable view of its horizontal branching. Love the viburnums!

  11. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! Likewise, your blog is fantastic! I have a viburnum although mine is an evergreen so I don’t lose the leaves on mine but I agree – some plants are able to be enjoyed the whole year round! Nice to find your blog also!! 🙂

  12. Great post, John…and now, I must get myself a Viburnum;-) I have much more shade than sun, but often try to sneak in specimens that can handle some shade so I think I know where I could put one. It gets some sun, just not much–and I already have other plants that have similar requirements. They maybe just don’t do ‘as well’ as they could in a better spot, but hey…I’m just happy when mine survive at all! Thanks for stopping by, too;-)

  14. I had a gorgeous viburnum shoshoni on the east side of my house, planted in 2009. It was as your’s, interesting in every season. I had a problem with it the first spring 2010, with the deer stripping it almost clean of leaves. The following years it took some hits, but not as bad. It had a beautiful shape, probably due to the pruning by the deer. Last Fall I had a so called ‘landscaper’ clean up my garden. I had shown her a very overgrown chaste tree (a real bee and butterfly magnet) that had gotten entirely too large at the base. Sadly she cut the viburnum down to the ground. I am searching for another shoshoni with its pretty leaves and flowers. I wonder how yours is doing these several years later.

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