Arrowwood viburnum

Questions about arrowwood viburnum

Does arrowwood viburnum need sun or shade?

Arrowwood viburnum grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled.

What zones does arrowwood viburnum grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 8. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does arrowwood viburnum flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late May to late June. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should arrowwood viburnum be planted?

6½ ft (200 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 8 ft (250 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 8 ft (250 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many arrowwood viburnum plants do I need?

Usually one. At 6½ ft (200 cm) across, it is a plant you place, not one you mass. For a hedge or screen, set them 6½ ft apart: two plants for a 10 ft run.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is arrowwood viburnum poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like arrowwood viburnum?

Arrowwood viburnum is not native to North America. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Common ninebark: the same job in a bed, the same size, the same flowering time and the same colour.
• Mountain laurel: the same job in a bed, the same size, the same flowering time and the same colour; keeps its leaves in winter, wants moist soil.
• Red osier dogwood: the same job in a bed, the same size, the same flowering time and the same colour; wants moist soil.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat arrowwood viburnum?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will arrowwood viburnum spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Spreads by suckers into a wider clump. Remove the outer shoots to contain it.

What flowers after arrowwood viburnum?

Arrowwood viburnum is over by late June. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Hollyhock: from early July to late August, 6 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Oakleaf hydrangea: from mid June to early August, 6½ ft tall.
• Delphinium: from late June to mid July, 5 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does arrowwood viburnum look like in winter?

Arrowwood viburnum drops its leaves and stands as bare branches. That is when to see its shape, and to prune it if it needs pruning.

Is arrowwood viburnum good for bees and butterflies?

Arrowwood viburnum is visited by pollinators, butterflies and songbirds.