Viburnum plicatum

Viburnum plicatum is a deciduous shrub from the Adoxaceae family of plants. They also call it the Japanese Snowball. It is native to Japan and China and grows to about 15ft or 5m tall.

Viburnum plicatum is multibranched, dense, and upright. The foliage is ovate and toothed. The leaves are dark green with prominent veins. “Plicatum” is Latin for pleated, and refers to the strong veins that make the leaves look pleated. They grow about 4 in. or 10 cm long and turn reddish in color in autumn. Viburnum plicatum flowers from April to May. The flowers grow in globe-shaped clusters of white flowers. They are sterile.

An interesting fact: Viburnum plicatum is grown from cultivation and it was probably cultivated from f. tomentosum, however, since Viburnum plicatum was observed first, f. tomentosum was named as a variety. But in fact, it is the other way around, and f. tomentosum is a species found in the wild and the flowers are fertile.

How to grow Viburnum plicatum:

Grow Viburnum plicatum in the sun or partial shade. Plant it in rich, fertile, moist but well-drained soil. It tolerates most types of soils and is also drought tolerant. Viburnum plicatum attracts butterflies and bees. Prune it right after flowering is done. Generally, it is disease-free and pest-free, and easy to take care of.