Each five-petaled, star shaped flower of the Viburnum carlesii starts out as dark pink to red bud that opens up to pure white, looking stunning beside the green leaves. (Photo by Ginny Rosenkranz)
Some plants have it all, spring flowers, summer foliage, fall color and winter interest.
The Viburnum carlesii, or the Spicebush Viburnum is a lovely deciduous shrub with silver gray branches that spread out near the ground and upwards in a loose rounded habit.
In early spring the dark green irregular serrated leaves emerge on the silver stems opposite each other to showcase the bouquets of fragrant flowers that bloom in April.
Each five-petaled, star-shaped flower starts out as dark pink to red bud that opens up to pure white, looking stunning beside the green leaves.
All of the half-inch flowers are held on a flat-topped 3-inch semicircular cymes and last for up to two to three weeks, with the central flowers blooming first then followed by those that circle the center bloom.
The flowers become bright red fruit that matures to black in summer and is enjoyed by birds in the fall.
Once the autumn brings the cool weather, the foliage turns copper colored then matures to wine red or burgundy.
The Spicebush Viburnum thrives on our Eastern Shore when planted in full sun or morning shade and moist but well drained soils.
They can grow 4-5 feet tall and wide, perfuming the gardens as a specimen plant, in a cottage garden or in a deciduous hedge.
(Editor’s Note: Ginny Rosenkranz is a commercial horticulture specialist with the University of Maryland Extension.)
