Viburnum Odoratissimum

(aka “Sweet Viburnum”) grows quickly in full sun or partial shade on a wide variety of soils. It is tolerant to drought, holding up very well in non-irrigated landscapes once established. Relatively maintenance-free, but requires pruning to control size and shape.

A nice, neat, compact canopy develops without any training. Interior sprouts and branches need to be removed to make the trunk show. Only lower branches need removal to allow for pedestrian and vehicle clearance beneath the crown. This would be a good tree for planting along a street where power lines or other obstructions limit overhead space. It can be trained to one trunk or grown as a multi-stemmed specimen.

Large, leathery, dark green, glossy leaves and clusters of extremely fragrant, small, white flowers, completely covering the plant in springtime, make Sweet Viburnum a longtime landscape favorite. The large, dull green leaves form a moderately coarse texture. For some reason, it has fallen out of favor as a small tree in recent years. This adaptable tree should be rediscovered by landscape architects and others specifying small trees for urban and suburban landscapes. Often used as a screen or clipped hedge, its dense, spreading, evergreen habit makes this Viburnum suitable for use as a small tree, reaching 25 to 30 feet tall and wide at maturity, with a dense, multi-branched, rounded canopy.

The flowers are often followed by small, red berries which turn black when ripe and are moderately showy.

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