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Viburnum × rhytidophylloides

lantanaphyllum viburnum

Viburnaceae

Cultivated hybrid; parents native to Asia and Europe

Attracts Pollinators

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 5–8

Overview

Viburnum x rhytidophylloides is a large semi-evergreen shrub of hybrid origin between V. rhytidophyllum and V. lantana, intermediate in leaf and hardiness between the two parents. It grows 8–10 feet (2.4–3 m) tall and 8–12 feet (2.4–3.7 m) wide, forming a dense, broadly upright outline. The leathery, dark green leaves are 3–6 inches (8–15 cm) long, deeply wrinkled on the upper surface and felted beneath, and hold late into winter, dropping in hard cold. Flat-topped clusters of small creamy-white flowers 3–5 inches (8–13 cm) across open in mid to late spring, and a lighter rebloom can occur in autumn. Flower buds form the previous summer and stand bare through winter before opening. Fruit follows as clusters of berries that ripen from red to black and are taken by birds. The shrub tolerates a range of soils and some shade but holds its leaves longer and flowers more freely in sun with shelter from drying winter wind. Foliage can scorch and brown in exposed, cold, windy sites. Most plants need a second clone nearby for reliable fruit set.

Native Range

The shrub is a cultivated hybrid raised in North America and has no wild range. Its parent species are native to central and western China (V. rhytidophyllum) and to Europe and western Asia (V. lantana).

Suggested Uses

Planted as a screen, hedge, or shrub-border backdrop where its dense semi-evergreen foliage gives year-round cover, spaced 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 m) apart. Also used in mixed borders with a second clone nearby for fruit.

How to Identify

Look for large, leathery, deeply wrinkled dark green leaves, felted and pale on the underside, on a dense upright shrub that holds much of its foliage into winter. Naked flower buds sit at the branch tips through winter and open into flat creamy-white clusters in spring. Fruit ripens from red to black in late summer.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8' - 10'

Width/Spread8' - 12'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~2 weeks

Spring

Flat clusters of creamy-white flowers open in mid to late spring, usually May, from buds formed the previous summer. A lighter second flush can appear in autumn. Fruit develops over summer, ripening from red to black.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

Reaches mature size in 5–8 years.

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to part shade on moist, well-drained soil across a pH range of 5.5 to 7.5. Tolerates clay and brief dry spells once established but holds foliage and flowers more reliably with shelter from cold, drying winter wind. Leaves can scorch and brown in exposed sites in zone 5 winters. A second compatible clone nearby improves fruit set, as a single plant fruits poorly. Light pruning after flowering controls size, and the shrub is hardy through USDA zones 5–8. Viburnum leaf beetle can damage foliage where it is present.

Pruning

Pruning right after flowering shapes the shrub and limits its spread without removing the next year's flower buds. Older stems are thinned at the base to renew congested plants. Dead or winter-burned wood is removed in spring.

Pruning Schedule

late spring