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Viburnum

paulbaxendale4813wtYe2lypaulbaxendale4813wtYe2ly Posts: 65
in Plants
Hi I have been looking for shrubs to go in my back boarder , n/w facing clay loam ,moist but not water logged.
Any one got any pics of a viburnum opulus compactum or similar or a dwarf plicatum or any experience  growing them.
Thanks.

Posts

  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Can't give you photos but we are in clay soil and have an opulus which does very well and comes back every year.
  • paulbaxendale4813wtYe2lypaulbaxendale4813wtYe2ly Posts: 65
    Thanks I want to keep it under 2 meters tall does yours grow very tall.
    Sort of want a medium size shrub rather than a small tree.
  • Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
    edited June 2023
    Viburnums can be a bit of a fuss @paulbaxendale4813wtYe2ly - the dreaded beetle can completely de-leaf the shrub if you don't keep on top of it.  We've got a Opulus Compactum, which was specifically chosen for its size (maxes out at about 2m I think) - nice shrub, but can be a fair bit of work unless you want to pesticide it. One thing which I never fully understood was that it was advertised as a snowball tree, but isn't - the flowers are fairly flat.  I've a suspicion the snowball one is the infertile version "Roseum", but then you don't get the berries in autumn.
    The rhodo on the other side is relatively no-fuss (keep the acidity up, keep it mulched, water when v dry, remove spent flowers) and a joy, and of course evergreen - many of the commercial cultivars top out at 1.8-2.0m.  Seems happy enough on our neutral soil with a lot of ericaceous mixed in at planting and a yearly application of sulphur.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited June 2023
    I  grow V Watenabe it is deciduous. I haven't had the dreaded beetle on it. It does seem to be V Tinus that gets hit hard. Are there other members of the Viburnum family that get the beetle?

    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • paulbaxendale4813wtYe2lypaulbaxendale4813wtYe2ly Posts: 65
    Thanks Rob and Suze can I ask how fast your viburnum  grow are they very slow growing.
    Suze does the Wateabe get berries on in autumn like the idea of the flat flower heads and berries for the birds .Thanks 
  • Simone_in_WiltshireSimone_in_Wiltshire Posts: 1,073
    edited June 2023
    @paulbaxendale4813wtYe2ly I have made good experience with a Vibernum Carlesii. Slow growing, gets 2x1 meter. Nice leaves in Spring and flowers in the first two months of the year with nice flowers white/rose. 
    Here I showed a picture (3) of the vibernum in spring https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/comment/2611441#Comment_2611441

    I ♥ my garden.

  • Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
    Paul - I think like many plants it was a bit slower getting going but puts on 6-9 inches each year I'd say.
  • coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
    Viburnum opolus compactus is very slow growing and will struggle to reach a height of one metre. As others have mentioned it is prone to blackfly infestations but no lasting damage.
    Have a look at plicatum mariesii, not too big and doesn't get beetles. Not evergreen though and needs watering in dry weather.

    Luxembourg
  • Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
    I think my VOC's gone from 2ft (0.6m) to 5ft (1.5m) in about 6 years.  The rhododendron got there slightly quicker.
  • paulbaxendale4813wtYe2lypaulbaxendale4813wtYe2ly Posts: 65
    Thanks all.wasent sure weather to get one of the larger ones and chop it back or go for a dwarf variety and wait a bit longer but at my age you don't won't to be waiting 20 years. :smile:
    Anyway thanks Rob 2ft to 5 ft in six years sounds good so probably go for a VOC.
    Or maybe a watenabe haha.

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