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My Viburnum opulus

LynfromSeaLynfromSea Posts: 133
in Problem solving
I had very few flowers on my Viburnum opulus this year. Could this be due to the weather conditions? I pruned it at the right time last year.

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Mine’s the same, looks very sparse,  we made the decision just today to cut it right back and give it a chance to sprout out again from the bottom,   I think they may just outgrow themselves, I don’t know but it’s not very good this year. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • LynfromSeaLynfromSea Posts: 133
    Interesting that you’ve had the same problem. 
    I’ve just noticed that the leaves look as if they have been infested by some type of insect but it’s quite a large established plant to prune right back although I’d like to. I feel I may not get many flowers again next year if I do. 
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    You could follow the standard 3 year shrub renewal cycle to regenerate your Viburnum. Cut out one third of the mature stems each year after flowering and it will soon be on song again.
  • LynfromSeaLynfromSea Posts: 133
    Thank you. Do you mean cut them back to the roots?
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Mine was the same, sparse flowers and covered in blackfly that distorted all the top leaves. I'm going to give it a good prune and hope it does better next year.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - cut back a third each year @LynfromSea -back down to a suitable lower level, and that refreshes the shrub. It often does them a favour   :)
    Viburnums can succumb to a beetle which also destroys the foliage, so just have a look in case it's that. The foliage really smells if it's that . Here's a link :
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=556

    If it isn't that - a lot of shrubs have struggled a bit this spring, to produce their foliage and flower buds, so an otherwise healthy specimen won't be affected in future. It's down to weather in those circumstances. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynfromSeaLynfromSea Posts: 133
    Someone has just suggested Viburnum beetle and it certainly looks like it. What do I do now?
  • LynfromSeaLynfromSea Posts: 133

  • Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
    edited June 2021
    Pray Lyn!  Only joking, but my VO was completely deleaved last year by V beetle (it's come back this year but has been murdered by blackfly) :/ . 
    If you turn over a few of the holy leaves, you'll likely see the grubs, which you should dispatch to the bin.  I've only had a dozen or so grubs this year having spent much of the autumn squishing the adults(!) and then cutting out / pruning the stems where they'd laid eggs.  Beetle armageddon has worked so far but we'll see how many adults appear later in the year as I'm sure new ones flew in as quick as I took their mates off. :)
    However, as I say, what the beetles have left, the blackfly have necked.  Who'd be a gardener?
  • LynfromSeaLynfromSea Posts: 133
    I think the same way sometimes Rob.
    last year trees were my problem. The long dry weather followed by those dreadful winds upturned two of my trees which I had to replace. This year I’ve watered all my trees well and obviously haven’t been inspecting my Viburnum often enough.
    As it’s quite a big bush I think I will give it another chance as it’s deciduous and so I shall prune as recommended.
    I shall certainly look out for black fly next year though.
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