Viburnum odoratissimum
Sweet viburnum
Southern China, Taiwan, southern Japan, and mainland Southeast Asia
Overview
Viburnum odoratissimum is an evergreen shrub or small tree reaching 10-20 feet (3-6 m) tall and 8-15 feet (2.4-4.5 m) wide, with multiple upright stems and dense branching from the base. Leaves are opposite, elliptic to obovate, 3-8 inches (8-20 cm) long and 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) wide, leathery and glossy dark green above, with margins entire or bearing shallow teeth in the upper third. Small white flowers 0.25 inch (6 mm) across open in pyramidal panicles 3-6 inches (8-15 cm) long from April through June, with a scent carrying 15-20 feet (4.6-6 m). Drupes 0.3 inch (8 mm) long ripen from red to black between July and September and are taken by birds. Growth runs 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) per year on established plants, and a hedge closes within 3-4 years at 4 foot (1.2 m) spacing. Stems die back from the tip where Botryosphaeria spp. enters drought-stressed wood, and algal leaf spot caused by Cephaleuros virescens raises grey-green blotches on the foliage in humid summers. Foliage is damaged at 15F (-9C) and stems are killed near 5F (-15C).
Native Range
Viburnum odoratissimum grows in evergreen forest, forest margins, and ravines across southern China, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, Myanmar, northeastern India, and the Philippines. It occupies humid, shaded to partly open slopes on moist, free-draining soils from near sea level to 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Plantings in Florida, the Gulf Coast states, and coastal Australia have produced bird-dispersed seedlings in adjacent woodland.Suggested Uses
Planted as a screening hedge in zones 8-11 at 3-5 foot (0.9-1.5 m) spacing, where growth of 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) per year closes the line in 3-4 years. Grown as a single small tree with the lower branches removed to 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8 m), and in containers of 15 gallons (57 L) or larger where plants hold at 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 m). Bird-dispersed seedlings appear in adjacent woodland in Florida and coastal Australia.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height10' - 20'
Width/Spread8' - 15'
Reaches mature size in approximately 7 years
Bloom Information
Flowers open from April through June in zones 9-10 and in May and June in zone 8. Bloom on a plant lasts 2-3 weeks, and panicles open from the base of the cluster outward. Flowers form on the previous season growth, so plants sheared between August and March carry no flowers the following spring, and sheared hedges in commercial landscapes seldom bloom. Scattered second flushes occur in September in zones 10-11.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
glossy dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Plants take 1-1.5 inches (25-38 mm) of water weekly through the first two seasons, after which established shrubs go 3-4 weeks without rain, though drought stress opens the wood to Botryosphaeria spp. dieback that kills stems back 12-36 inches (30-90 cm). Soil that holds water after rain causes root rot, and plants on heavy clay are set on mounds 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) above grade. A single spring application of a balanced fertiliser at 2-3 ounces per square yard (70-100 g per square metre) covers the season, since heavier feeding produces soft growth that thrips and aphids colonise. Algal leaf spot raises grey-green velvety blotches 0.1-0.3 inch (3-8 mm) across on foliage in humid summers without killing the plant. Foliage burns at 15F (-9C) and stems die near 5F (-15C), with regrowth from the base where roots stay unfrozen. Plants live 30-50 years in the ground.Pruning
Pruning is carried out immediately after flowering in June or July, since flower buds for the following spring form from August onward. Hedges are sheared two or three times between April and August, which holds the outline but removes the flowers. Individual stems cut back to a side branch keep the informal shape while reducing height by 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m). Plants tolerate renewal cuts to 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) in late winter, regrowing to 8-10 feet (2.4-3 m) over 3-4 seasons.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 15 gallons