When trying to select shrubs for the landscape, we try to find ones that have flowers, are pest resistant and provide multi-season interest. It is hard to beat the Viburnums in any of these categories for use in home landscapes. There are hundreds of varieties offering the full range of options for the landscape.

Viburnums come in many sizes, shapes and types. Most are deciduous but a few are considered broad leaf evergreens. Flowers may be round or flat clusters and many are quite fragrant. Colorful fruit and handsome fall color extend the beauty of many species of viburnums.

The viburnums tolerate a range of soils as long as they are well drained. Many will do quite well in shade although flowering, fruiting and fall color are usually better in higher light conditions. They require a minimum of pruning and other care if proper varieties are chosen for the site.

The following are just a few of the more commonly grown viburnums for the landscape:

American Cranberrybush Viburnum (Viburnum trilobum) - This Viburnum is upright, rounded in form maturing up to 12' in height. The white clusters of flowers occur in mid-spring. The excellent red fruit holds late into the winter.

Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) - A native species which will mature in an upright rounded shape at 12'-15'. It will withstand heavy shade and moist soil conditions. The flowers are flat white clusters in mid-spring, and the fruit is blue-black.

Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) - At maturity this upright-rounded plant reaches 15'. The flowers in mid-spring are in flat white clusters. The fruits are up to 1/2" long and blue-black in color. An excellent plant as a specimen or for massing.

Burkwood Viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii) - The Burkwood Viburnum is a favorite in many landscapes because of its bright, dark green foliage and fragrant flowers which are borne in rounded heads in mid-April to early May. It is semi-evergreen and combines many of the better traits of other viburnums.

Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum tomentosum) - This is a wonderful multi-season shrub with a horizontal growth habit. In May, it is covered with white flowers in flat heads held above the foliage. There is an outer circle of large petals with an inner circle so small white flowers thus the name doublefile. Later, red fruit develops followed by red leaf fall color.

European Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus) -This commonly used viburnum has lobed, "Maple- like" leaves and grows to about 8-12 feet in height. The flowers are white, borne in a flat-topped head 2-3 inches in diameter in mid-May.

Judd Viburnum (Viburnum juddi) - Matures at approximately 8' and is spreading and rounded in habit. The flowers in early spring are semi-snowball changing from pink in bud to white. The fruit is black.

Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) -This fragrant flowering shrub grows 4-8 feet in height in a rounded form. The velvety leaves are a medium green in color. In late April to early May, extremely fragrant flowers are borne in rounded heads 2-3 inches in diameter. The fruit is red, changing to black and the shrub has a burgundy fall color.

Linden Viburnum (Viburnum dilatatum) - This species matures at 8-0' with flowers occurring in late spring in flat white clusters. It's one of the best of the fruiting types with numerous, colorful, small, red berries.

Nannyberry Viburnum (Viburnum lentago) - This native species will mature at 30' and can be grown into a tree form. It's often used as a background planting, as a screen, or as a foreground along the edge of woodlands. The flowers in mid-May are flat white clusters, and the fruit, a favorite of birds, is blue-black.

Snowball Bush (Viburnum opulus `Roseum') - Similar in all characteristics to the European Cranberry Bush except that the flowers are borne in a showy, rounded flower head 2-3 inches in diameter. This viburnum has been around a long time and is a garden classic.

Wayfaringtree Viburnum (Viburnum lantana) - This species has an upright spreading form reaching 15' which lends itself to use in screen plantings. The flowers in mid-May are creamy-white flat clusters. The fruit is greenish- yellow changing to red and finally black. This is an excellent shrub for dry soils.