Viburnum, European Cranberry Viburnum, European Snowball Bush, Guelder Rose 'Roseum'
Viburnum opulus
Family: | Adoxaceae (a-dox-AY-see-ee) (Info) |
Genus: | Viburnum (vy-BUR-num) (Info) |
Species: | opulus (OP-yoo-lus) (Info) |
Cultivar: | Roseum |
Additional cultivar information: | (aka Sterile) |
Category:
Herbs
Shrubs
Water Requirements:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage:
Smooth
Foliage Color:
Height:
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)
Spacing:
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 °C (-40 °F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 °C (-35 °F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Where to Grow:
Danger:
N/A
Bloom Color:
White/Near White
Bloom Characteristics:
Flowers are good for cutting
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Mid Spring
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
From softwood cuttings
From semi-hardwood cuttings
Seed Collecting:
N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Arley, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Phoenix, Arizona
North Little Rock, Arkansas
Rancho Calaveras, California
Santa Clara, California
Vallejo, California
Valley Springs, California
Aurora, Colorado
Colorado City, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
Lake City, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Braselton, Georgia
Cordele, Georgia
Forest Park, Georgia
Marietta, Georgia
Coeur D Alene, Idaho
Jacksonville, Illinois
Lisle, Illinois
Spring Grove, Illinois
Washington, Illinois
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Davenport, Iowa
Wichita, Kansas
Barbourville, Kentucky
Hebron, Kentucky
Whitesburg, Kentucky
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Compton, Maryland
Isle, Minnesota
Kasota, Minnesota
Jackson, Mississippi
Madison, Mississippi
Meridian, Mississippi
Moberly, Missouri
Saint Louis, Missouri
Helena, Montana
Burchard, Nebraska
Caldwell, New Jersey
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Raleigh, North Carolina(2 reports)
Summerfield, North Carolina
Winston Salem, North Carolina
Bryan, Ohio
Enid, Oklahoma
Yukon, Oklahoma
Albany, Oregon
Bend, Oregon
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Waverly, Pennsylvania
Lincoln, Rhode Island
Conway, South Carolina
North Augusta, South Carolina
Pickens, South Carolina
Summerville, South Carolina
Decatur, Tennessee
Gallatin, Tennessee
Hollow Rock, Tennessee
Dallas, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Greenville, Texas
South Boston, Virginia
Lake Stevens, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Charleston, West Virginia
Delafield, Wisconsin
show allGardeners' Notes:
Rating | Content |
---|---|
Positive | On Apr 18, 2020, outdoorlover from Enid, OK (Zone 7a) wrote: This is one of the most beautiful shrubs around and has been for many years. It has no drawbacks. It blooms it’s heart out for many weeks and is a show stopper. If you are lucky, she will produce a baby plant that you can bless another person with. |
Positive | On May 12, 2019, Rickwebb from Downingtown, PA wrote: This European Snowball Cranberrybush Viburnum is an old-fashioned shrub that was used more in the late 1800's to the mid-1900's, but I still see it occasionally mostly in average yards as a single specimen, but sometimes in professional landscapes as a group, in the Midwestern and Eastern USA. A few conventional nurseries and some cheap mail order nurseries sell it. I think it was discovered in Europe in the 1500's. Its large white rounded flower clusters are composed only of the showy sterile florets, no small fertile florets, so there are no stamens, pistils, nectar, pollen, or fruit (red drupes). It is a pretty shrub. It is subject to aphid infestations some years. |
Neutral | On Jul 19, 2011, Gabrielle from (Zone 5a) wrote: A nice shrub, but it gets out of shape easily and is aphid prone. Blooms are nice, but for a short span. Blooms in May in my garden. |
Neutral | On Jun 25, 2007, michellemarie from Calgary, I aquired a snowball bush about 3 years ago on the recommendation of my local garden centre. After a few small flowers the first year it became apparent that this was an aphid magnet! It was very nearly destroyed last year. This year I dilligently treated it with Safer soap every few days and was rewarded with an astounding display of gorgeous flower clusters. Quite a bit of maintenance but well worth the glorious display. |
Positive | On Jun 3, 2007, pmayhew from Delafield, WI wrote: I purchased this plant last spring 06, it is fast growing. It grew close to two feet last summer. This spring it was covered with lovely white snowballs all during May here in southeast Wisconsin. I have it planted next to my house on the east side in the shade of a silver maple and the plant is doing great! We love it! |
Positive | On Apr 27, 2007, Lhouselover from Arley, AL (Zone 7a) wrote: A friend gave me a small one about 6", 2 years ago and now it is about 4' tall. My hubby LOVES it and when I trimmed it back last year, I stuck some of the limbs in the ground and now have about 5 or 6 small ones growing and 3 of them had a very tiny bloom on it already this spring and they are ready to move to a new location. SO easy to grow and it usually blooms at end of spring and again later in the summer. |
Positive | On May 30, 2006, Iluvposies from Republic, PA (Zone 6a) wrote: I lived in a home where this bush grew in the southern part of the yard, It was 10 feet high and always bloomed in mid May. I have just taken a cutting and hope I can root it. i have zero experience in propagating. any help would be appreciated |
Positive | On Apr 17, 2006, berrygirl from Braselton, GA (Zone 8a) wrote: This is a very beautiful care-free plant. |
Positive | On May 24, 2005, lily4me from Whitesburg, KY wrote: i live in kentucky,in our area this tree grows in the yards of almost everyone,but when i got my own home i didnt have one so i had starting asking around trying to find out where to get one or could just collect seeds off some of my gradmas tree,but there was no seeds,anyway i will get to the end of my story.i found out how to get your own tiny tree started find your favorite type of this tree get a 5 gallon bucket or some kind of pot fill it with dirt set it the bottom of the tree where a branch drops down stick the end of the branch in the bucket of dirt add some miracle grow and in a short while you will have a small tree started in your bucket then cut the branch attached to the orignal tree and transplant your tree thats in the bucket wherever you want. |
Positive | On Apr 8, 2005, Charlotteda from Pickens, SC (Zone 7a) wrote: I remember this plant from my Grannys garden. She let hers grow into a small tree. I keep mine in bush form :) |
Positive | On Mar 8, 2005, rae_37066 from Gallatin, TN wrote: I bought my house last may and this bush is higher than my house and covered with blooms. I didn't care for the dead look of the snowballs afterwards. I also had about 5 blooms on it in the fall. Tennessee will get cold and then warm back up. maybe it was confused |
Positive | On May 19, 2004, eclipsed21 from Kingston, NY wrote: We bought a house in NY in the dead of winter, and were pleased when this "bush" started blooming this spring. Even though the bloom time is listed as mid summer, it was COVERED with white "snow balls" the second week of May. I clipped some, and kept them on the kitchen table for a week before they started dropping tiny blooms. My only sadness, this bush has zero smell. |
Positive | On May 16, 2004, Cramond from Bury, We found this tree growing in our garden in Suffolk, on the eastern side of England, 20 years ago. It has thrived amidst conifer hedging, despite being savagely cut back and damaged by some guys trying to lop an adjacent cherry tree. We live in the warmest driest part of the UK, and the tree is well sheltered by others around it. However, ours never has berries, whereas I have read in some accounts that it should have red berries in the autumn. Is this so? |
Neutral | On May 15, 2004, blondiebri from Coeur D Alene, ID wrote: APHIDS are the only problem with this plant. I would appreciate any info on getting rid of these nuisances. Otherwise I love it! We have it planted next to a Japanese Maple and it looks lovely. I keep it trimmed down to maintain the desired height of the bed, two - three feet. |
Neutral | On Apr 23, 2004, suzcol from Fort Valley, GA wrote: We just bought a house somewhat south of Macon, GA and have at least two of the snowball bushes. Yes, the aphids love them! There are several acres and used to be beautiful, and I am just now 'uncovering' a lot of gardening treasures. The snowball bush closest to the house is adjacent to the kitchen. I cut out all the dead wood, and used a good all-purpose fertilizer. Have also been dumping coffee grounds around it..is this positive or negative?!?! One snowball bush is near a fig tree which I liberally dosed with epsom salts..is this going to harm the bush?! I hope not!! For the aphids..I moved from central FL and there is used the CLEAR dishwashing liquid mixed with water in a sprayer attached to the hose. This discouraged the aphids and enriched the soil, or so the Garden Rebel on televi... read more |
Positive | On Nov 6, 2003, Mule from North Little Rock, AR wrote: Bought this plant about three years ago. In 2002 it had some blooms and was growing tall so I topped it at about seven feet. In the spring of 2003 it had 40 big snowballs that were so heavy that I had to tied them to a stake. Now, in November 2003 the plant has grown to about 15' and has some flat top blooms on the tips of some of the branches. I hope this late season blooming doesn't take away from the snowballs next spring. Has anyone had experience with this replant reblooming in the fall? |
Positive | On Aug 5, 2003, nipajo from Dallas, TX (Zone 8b) wrote: I have one in my backyard growing in sun/part shade. I have pruned it every year after blooming to keep a more compact form. I have noticed that after blooming aphids go after the new growth. the only way I combatted this was to spray with a garden hose. Eventually they go away. It is the very first bloom for me in the spring. Beautiful blooms, nothing else can compete. |
Positive | On Aug 2, 2003, suncatcheracres from Old Town, FL wrote: This plant looks exactly like a plant from my childhood we called "Snowball" bush. The plants grew in my Grandmother's and my Aunt's sandy yards in Southcentral Georgia, near Macon, and when in full bloom their arching branches were so covered in blossoms that the flowers' weight brought the branches down to the ground. |
Positive | On Aug 1, 2003, starshine from Bend, OR (Zone 6a) wrote: A cultivated variety of a species of Viburnum (V. opulus), bearing large bunches of white flowers; -- called also snowball tree. |