How To Grow Snowball Bush – Viburnum Opulus Roseum

Viburnum opulus Roseum is that Old Fashioned Snowball Bush that was grown in the gardens of our grandparents. It is one of the oldest known garden viburnums, and has been around for a very long time. Learn how to grow Snowball bush, Viburnum Opulus Roseum, and enjoy this heirloom plant in your own garden.

How To Grow A Snowball Bush – Viburnum Opulus Roseum

I remember this Snowball bush as a child. There was one growing alongside the house of our elderly neighbour.

The branches and blooms were mesmerizing. I recall looking out into the branches at the white snowball shaped flowers, which filled the large shrub and bobbled softly from it’s branches.

We had just moved to Nova Scotia from a location in the far north of Canada. We had lived up next to the treeline, where practically nothing grew, except for stunted evergreens.

This new place was filled with deciduous trees and shrubs, and many had wonderful flowers, just like this bush.

My memories of my neighbour are connected to her garden, and in particular her impressive Snowball bush.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one with past memories of these beauties. They are connected to our grandparents, our neighbourhoods, and old fashioned gardens next to century homes.

We have a Snowball bush at the farm, just next to the farmhouse. It was planted at least two generations ago, and quite possibly before that.

This Snowball Bush is cherished. It is well cared for, and appreciated. Hopefully it will be around for many more years to come.

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’

European Snowball Viburnum has been produced in Europe since the 16th century and is one of the most recognized of the viburnums. The shrub can grow to 12 feet tall with a 12-15 foot spread and a dense rounded crown. In May it produces large clusters of sterile green flowers that mature to white and then pink. They make good cut flowers and no fruits are produced. The leaves are maple-tree shaped and have reddish-orange fall color.

This shrub prefers moist well-drained loams but is tolerant of other soils in full sun to partial shade. Use in the shrub border, as a foundation plant, a specimen, or as a hedge.

• OPPOSITE, 4-5 lobed, toothed, maple-like leaves
• Prominent, concave, disk-like glands on petiole
• Persistent linear stipules
• HUGE white, snowball-shaped spring inflorescence

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases.

Form in bloom WayneRay CC BY-SA 4.0 Close up of flower Stanzilla CC BY-SA 3.0 Green first opened flowers David J. Stang CC BY-SA 4.0 Stems, leaves, flowers David J. Stang CC BY-SA 4.0 Flowers Consultaplantas CC BY-SA 4.0 Flowers and leaves Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

• Attributes: Genus: Viburnum Species: opulus Family: Viburnaceae Life Cycle: Woody Country Or Region Of Origin: Europe Dimensions: Height: 10 ft. 0 in. – 12 ft. 0 in. Width: 12 ft. 0 in. – 15 ft. 0 in.

• Whole Plant Traits: Plant Type: Shrub Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics: Deciduous Habit/Form: Erect Mounding Multi-stemmed Rounded Growth Rate: Medium Maintenance: Low Texture: Medium

• Cultural Conditions: Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours) Soil Texture: Clay Loam (Silt) Sand Soil pH: Alkaline (>8.0) Soil Drainage: Good Drainage Moist Available Space To Plant: 12-24 feet NC Region: Coastal Mountains Piedmont USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

• Fruit: Fruit Description: Flowers are sterile so no fruits produced

• Flowers: Flower Color: Green Pink White Flower Inflorescence: Cyme Flower Value To Gardener: Good Cut Long-lasting Showy Flower Bloom Time: Spring Flower Shape: Cup Flower Petals: 4-5 petals/rays Flower Size: < 1 inch Flower Description: The inflorescence is a globose cluster (cyme) up to 4 inches across. Individual 1 inch sterile flowers are green to white, aging to light pink. Blooms in May

• Leaves: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics: Deciduous Leaf Color: Green Leaf Value To Gardener: Showy Deciduous Leaf Fall Color: Orange Red/Burgundy Leaf Type: Simple Leaf Arrangement: Opposite Leaf Shape: Ovate Leaf Margin: Lobed Serrate Hairs Present: No Leaf Length: 3-6 inches Leaf Width: 3-6 inches Leaf Description: Soft green leaves are opposite, simple, 3-5 lobed, lobes acute, truncate, coarsely toothed; narrowly grooved petioles with large disk-like, concave glands; persistent linear stipules. Fall color is orange-red

• Bark: Bark Color: Dark Brown Dark Gray Bark Description: Gray-brown waxy bark

• Stem: Stem Color: Brown/Copper Gray/Silver Stem Is Aromatic: No Stem Description: Stem is light gray-brown, ribbed.

• Landscape: Landscape Location: Coastal Lawn Landscape Theme: Butterfly Garden Cottage Garden Cutting Garden Design Feature: Border Foundation Planting Hedge Screen/Privacy Attracts: Butterflies Resistance To Challenges: Deer Drought

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’

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