Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Cutting grown. Their flowers range from sweetly fragrant to unpleasantly scented and are primarily creamy white, but can vary from white to pink. Viburnum macrocephalum, commonly called Chinese snowball viburnum, is native to China. How to Prune Snowball Bushes. If you wait to prune viburnums in … The larger varieties of viburnum shrub also make excellent focal points as specimen plantings. Use clean, sharp secateurs and place all cuts at least a quarter inch above a leaf node or bud. Types of Viburnum Shrubs. Full sun. Pruning hydrangea snowball varieties is quite simple. Pull each off cut out of the shrub and inspect your work before making the next cut to give a professional and natural looking result. A detailed explanation of the benefits, techniques and results associated with dormant pruning of deciduous shrubs. Deadhead, or remove, flower heads after they fade. Snow in the spring is rare, but you can enjoy spring and summer "snowballs" of a different kind if you cultivate a snowball bush. Prune summer-blooming Annabelle and panicle hydrangeas anytime after the first hard freeze through late winter. Prune viburnum for shape and size once a year--or less frequently. Tip Water your snowball viburnum deeply after pruning to support the plant through a stressful period. Prune lightly to maintain the shrub's natural roundish shape or shear and cut the branch tips back more dramatically to create hedging or a trained-tree form. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Remove up to one-third of the shrub's interior and perimeter branching but no more in order to reduce stress on the plant. Viburnum opulus and Viburnum lantana - if they need pruning at all - can be kept under control, by cutting out 1 in 3 branches at near to ground level. Pruning to shape the viburnum shrub, should be done straight after flowering because these shrubs only flower on old wood. Prune to prevent legginess and encourage branching. The Korean viburnum, Viburnum carlesii, is deciduous and in early spring has a wonderful cluster of pink buds and an absolutely beautiful perfume. Identify existing snowball bush shrubs before pruning and complete pruning at the correct time. Pruning Chinese Snowball Viburnum After flowering, the Chinese snowball viburnum can benefit from some light pruning to shape the shrub and trim dead ends. Viburnum plicatum ‘Popcorn’ opens Japanese snowball type flowers in spring. In Southern gardens, smooth-leaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla) is also called snowball. Planting Viburnum plicatum. The individual florets grow in clusters usually found at the ends … Deciduous. While there are over 150 varieties of viburnum, one of the most popular is known as the "snowball bush." Red buds open in late March/early April to pink-changing-to-white flowers which are arranged in snowball-like clusters (hemispherical cymes) to 3" across. Snowball Viburnum (V. macrocephalum) This shrub or small tree flowers on old wood, so do not prune until after it flowers. Cut branches on Annabelles back to between 4 and 10 inches tall each year. After flowering in May, the two snowball varieties Viburnum x carlcephalum and Viburnum carlesi can be given a rejuvenation pruning. However, if purchased in a pot or in a container, you can also plant in spring taking great care to water regularly at the beginning. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. This large shrub grows into an upright dense mound. You should determine in advance which branches are to be removed in which year. When to Cut Back Hydrangeas & Crepe Myrtles, How to Prune Knockout Roses After Budding, Georgia Gold Medal Plants: 2006 Shrub Winner, Royal Horticultural Society: Viburnum opulus "Roseum" AGM, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension: Growing Bigleaf Hydrangea, University of Rhode Island Extension: Pruning Deciduous Shrubs. Viburnums range in height from 2 feet to 30 feet. This must be done methodically. Rejuvenation pruning can be performed on old, overgrown plants. A retired municipal judgem Reynolds holds a degree in communications from Northern Illinois University. They eventually turn to a rosy colour just like hydrangeas. Do this each year, always cutting out the older branches of course, and you will have a steady supply of new growths, and flowers/berries on the older growths. When established, Chinese Snowball Viburnum are quite drought tolerant. If you see new leaves wilting or the tips of new stems bending over during dry weather this could be a … In many cases, pruning just after flowering but before the setting of seedpods is sufficient. Planting, caring for it and pruning contribute a lot to the proper growth of the snowball viburnum. Prune to shape immediately after flowering. Cut back dead or diseased branches any time they appear. Masses of pure white snowball-like flower clusters make a showy display in summer. Use clean, sharp secateurs and place all cuts at least a quarter inch above a leaf node or bud. Prune smooth-leaf hydrangea and Chinese viburnum after they finish blooming in summer or early fall. Japanese snowbell tree is e prized for its graceful spreading canopy and waxy white or pink bell-shape spring flowers. Expect viburnum snowball bushes to blossom in May. Prune it any later, and you'll be cutting off next year's flowers. [1] X Research source Deadheading, or cutting off the flowers, won’t harm viburnum. Viburnum develops its buds the year before they flower. Snowball bush viburnum Attaining tree size at 12' by 12', clusters of tiny white flowers resembling snowballs cover the plant in spring. It is a rounded, vase-shaped shrub that typically matures to 6-10' tall in the St. Louis area, but may reach 15-20’ tall in the warmer climates of the deep South. You may cut up to one-third of the old stems from overgrown smooth-leaf hydrangeas to the ground to renew them. Prune the bush after the flowers bloom in spring. Do not prune either after August 1. Prune your snowball viburnum lightly throughout the growing season to harvest flowers and remove any dying, damaged or diseased foliage and branches. Annabelle and panicle hydrangeas form blooms on new wood each summer, but Chinese viburnum and smooth leaf hydrangea bloom earlier on last year’s growth. Prune damaged or diseased branches and spent flowers that are spotted on the summer snowflake viburnum while watering throughout the year. The three-inch clusters of snowball flowers start out apple-green and morph to white, eventually fading to a rosy color, as do some hydrangea shrubs. Prune your snowball viburnum lightly throughout the growing season to harvest flowers and remove any dying, damaged or diseased foliage and branches. When to Prune Viburnum While light pruning can be performed anytime throughout the year, it’s best to leave any major shearing or severe pruning for late winter or early spring. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →. Moderate grower to 12 feet tall, 10 feet wide, larger with age. It is better to take cuttings between November and February, Summer in Australia. It grows up to 20 feet in height at maturity and though it does not require regular heavy pruning, it might need to be pruned every few years to control its shape or size. Bright green leaves have a purplish-red fall coloring. It is often used as hedging or specimen plantings and can be formed into tree form by topiary pruning. The term “snowball bush” is an example of the confusion caused by the use of common plant names based on appearance or features. Cut shoots back, also called heading back, one-third their length to encourage branching. Viburnum Opulus or Snowball Viburnum. Noteworthy Characteristics. Hydrangeas and viburnums will respond to heavy pruning by suckering -- sending up new branches. Previously viburnums were included in the plant family Caprifoliaceae; however, recently they have been moved into the family Adoxaceae, along with elderberries (Sambucusspecies). Leaving longer stems results in branching, which leads to more, smaller flowers. Hard prune only in the late spring or early summer immediately after blooming to avoid removal of the next season's flower buds. However, doing it isn’t necessary and prevents the plant from growing berries. You can cut the flowers to use in displays. Snowball viburnum is a white blooming varietal of viburnum that produces round-shaped flower heads made up of multiple blooms that resemble snowballs. Make any cuts, using the pruning shears, at least one-quarter inch beyond an outward facing leaf node or bud on the branch. Hard prune your snowball viburnum for shape and size every few years or as needed. (Blooms on "old wood.") Pruning closer to the ground encourages fewer, larger flowers. Cut just above a growth node -- the thick nodules where buds grow -- on stems to encourage branching on panicle hydrangea or on Annabelle shrubs you wish to encourage to branch out. Prune panicle hydrangeas such as “Limelight” or “Tardiva” back to within 4 to 6 inches of the main stem. Growing Snowball from stem cuttings. Snowball viburnum is a white blooming varietal of viburnum that produces round-shaped flower heads made up of multiple blooms that resemble snowballs. Japanese snowball viburnum has, as the name suggests, a connection to Japan. Prune lightly to maintain the shrub's natural roundish shape or shear and cut the branch tips back more dramatically to create hedging or a trained-tree form. Plant it with a traditional Japanese snowball viburnum, such as Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum,’ and you can extend the flowering season by a few weeks. However, if pruning is desired for size or shape control, shear or trim these bushes after flowering. Sterilize cutting tools with a 10 percent solution of household bleach and water or isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol before cutting branches and after finishing each plant. All Rights Reserved. Remove damage or diseased branches down to the point and at least a a half inch past where you reach healthy wood. Remove older limbs in mature Chinese viburnum when flowers form predominantly on the upper part of the shrub. This Japanese snowball bush flowers earlier than the other varieties. Restore a damaged, misshapen or badly neglected shrub by pruning weak or overcrowded branches down to the crown of the plant. One of the more well-known species is the old-fashioned Snowball viburnum (V. opulus) with beautiful, white snowball … Evergreen varieties can be sheared. If you’re pruning viburnums to restrain or shape their growth, the timing for when to prune viburnum is right after flowering. Published on Jun 16, 2020 In this video we will demonstrate how to trim your snowball bush from Settlemyre Nursery. Every couple of years, it can benefit from a more severe pruning to help encourage more plentiful growth. That's the first place this snowball viburnum bush was spotted in a garden setting. An avid perennial gardener and old house owner, Laura Reynolds has had careers in teaching and juvenile justice. Abundant water will also encourage the roots to more quickly produce new growth. If your bush is large and overgrown prune … Another trendy bush, snowball viburnum is easy to manage and grows into a dense mound. Pruning buds destroys the flowers. Growing to a size of around 4.5 by 4.5 metres, clusters of tiny white flowers resembling snowballs cover the plant in spring. Cut from one to three of the oldest branches back to the ground to renew the shrub. Place cuts evenly throughout the shrub to restore a natural globe shape and ensure good sunlight penetration and fresh air flow through the shrub. Your snowball viburnum blooms in the Spring, so it is best to prune it right after it flowers. Viburnums typically form their flower buds for the following year during the summer after flowering. Hard prune your snowball viburnum for shape and size every few years or as needed. Spectacular landscape specimen. Heavy pruning should only be done at this time since you can easily destroy next year’s flowers by removing old wood. Make cuts on branches above growth nodes to encourage branching. A: The best time to prune a snowball bush, Viburnum macrocephalum, is after it finishes blooming and the white flowers have turned brown.Keep in mind that this shrub is naturally quite large. Pruning Viburnum isn’t necessary. It is best to plant your Viburnum plicatum or Japanese snowball in fall to favor root development before winter and renewed growth in spring. The 7.6cm flower clusters are apple-green when they start and then change to white. Identify existing snowball bush shrubs before pruning and complete pruning at the correct time. You can also buy tree form viburnums from … There are several different types of viburnums. To train a viburnum to be a tree, prune the lower branches off to create a trunk. It grows up to 20 feet in height at maturity and though it does not require regular heavy pruning, it might need to be pruned every few years to control its shape or size. H. macrophylla, H. paniculata and V. macrocephalum snowball bushes respond to complete renewal -- cutting the shrub to the ground -- but may take more than one season to resume heavy blooming. … With rejuvenation pruning, the old bush is replaced completely over a period of three to five years. Korean Spice Viburnum. Prune a snowball viburnum bush by sterilizing the equipment, cutting off flowers and cutting back the older branches before the fall. Then prune it as necessary to thin out old branches, open up the shrub, reduce height or develop a better shape. To complete this project, you need bleach, a bowl of water, two clean cloths and pruning shears. Viburnum carlesii. Cut back dead or diseased branches anytime they appear. Only during prolonged drought will established plants require supplemental irrigation. To propagate cuttings take softwood cuttings from fully grown snowball trees, do this early in the morning. Renewal may affect the succeeding year’s bloom, so limit its use to overgrown plants or plants whose bloom has fallen off. Pruning back your Viburnum Snowball not only encourages new growth for … Her six children and stepchildren served as subjects of editorials during her tenure as a local newspaper editor. A hardy shrub that does well in zones 2 to 9, it is easy to plant and care for, and requires very little maintenance. Snowball viburnum blooms in May and unlike most viburnums does not produce berries after bloom. This will lead to quick blooming. Chinese viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum), Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens "Annabelle") and panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata) are all called snowball bushes. These showy shrubs bloom with large clusters of tiny white flowers, which resemble snowballs. Botanically, Japanese snowball viburnum is known as Viburnum plicatum. Prune these shrubs based on how they form their flowers. Viburnum snowball bush is popular and easy to grow. Water your snowball viburnum deeply after pruning to support the plant through a stressful period. Of course, much of viburnum pruning depends on the variety grown too. In addition to being time-critical, annual pruning needs vary: For example, viburnum requires little regular pruning, while Annabelle stays tidy but productive only with annual renewal pruning. Viburnum carlesii commonly called Koreanspice viburnum is a slow-growing, upright, rounded, deciduous shrub which typically matures to 4-5' tall but may reach a height of 8' in optimum growing conditions. The guelder rose, Viburnum opulus, is a hardy, vigorous native shrub suited to growing in woodland gardens or a shrub border.It offers interest for most of the year, bearing large, lacecap-like, white flowers from late spring to early summer, followed by bunches of small, bright red, fleshy fruit in autumn. 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