A Beautiful Spring Shrub: Chinese Snowball - Viburnum

This is a favorite southern shrub which is commonly called Chinese Snowball. The real name is Viburnum macrocephalum 'Sterile'. The large showy blooms are often confused with hydrangeas' large mophead flowers because they look so similar. Chinese Snowball is only cold hardy in USDA Zones 6 to nine. It's a deciduous shrub except for the southern most zones where it remains evergreen.

These are large shrubs growing 12 to 20 feet tall and almost as wide. If you have a smaller suburban yard, then you'll only need to plant one of these spring show-off shrubs for visual impact. But for large landscapes, plant a row of Viburnum for a magnificent show in the spring. The huge flower heads it creates in April and May is what make Chinese Snowball worth having in the landscape.

The large flower heads start out lime-green before they change to white. The blooms on the Chinese Snowball get 6 to 8 inches across. The flowers are sterile on the shrub so it won't produce fruit. Some Viburnums have fragrant blooms but this one is not fragrant. They're so spectacular that it doesn't matter, and those with fragrance sensitivities will appreciate having the beauty without an aroma. They make a wonderful arrangement in a large vase.

Use clean sharp clippers and cut the blooming branches of Chinese Snowball at the desired length. Take a bucket or watering can with you and put the cut branches in water immediately. Once you take them inside, re-cut the branches at an angle and place in the vase with fresh water.

Keep this shrub's large size in mind when you choose a location to plant your Viburnum. If it's going to be in a mixed border with smaller shrubs or perennials, then be sure to plant it at the back so the height won't hide other shrubs or plants. It can also be pruned into the shape of a small tree as it grows. Just allow more top growth and keep the trunk trimmed free of branches. This will also allow more sunlight to reach any plants that are growing near the base of the shrub.

Viburnum will grow best in sun to part shade. In the hottest lower southern zones, it needs shade in the afternoon. A slightly acid soil is best but it can tolerate other soils. Fertilize the shrub when you first plant it and again each year when it finishes blooming. This is also the time to prune the shrub if you want a more rounded shape.