Viburnum x hilleri winton

I bought this on a whim last winter (or maybe the winter before that) from (I think) Forest Farm. Today I finally found it a home. I have been very impressed with this viburnum. The foliage is very lustrous and clean. The flowers were very pretty and atypical for viburnums (not that viburnum flowers are not pretty, btw--please no abusive responses!), and the fruit is very beautiful. Other than this, I know nothing more about how tall or wide this thing will grow. Does anybody know? Also, does anybody know the parentage?

Scott

Here's a shot of my whole plant, such as it is.

Scott

This is a cross of V. henryi and V. erubescens. I had gotten the idea somewhere long ago that it might be hardy here. Mother Zone 5 quickly put me in my place. It died, even in a protected spot against warm red brick.

Answer:

You have to be careful not freeze your viburnums off.

Real men grow OAKS, not wimpy little viburnums!

Guy S.

Thanks Kevin. V. henryi and V. erubescens. Now I'm curious to know what they look like.

Scott

I love it when you ask...

Viburnum henryi: First reported by A. Henry in 1887; introduced by Wilson in 1901 for J. Veitch & Son. An evergreen upright shrub or small tree with somewhat stiff open-branched habit from central China growing to 2-3 meters high by 2-2.5 meters wide. Leaves are narrowly oval, oblong obovate and shortly pointed at the apex, shallowly toothed, dark shining green above, paler beneath, glabrous both sides with little stellate down on stalk and midrib. Petiole light green and slightly winged. Flowers borne in June-July white, about 6 mm across all perfect and uniform in stiff pyramidical panicles. Fruit is oval, red turning black. Zone 7.

Viburnum erubescens: A semi-evergreen shrub from Sri Lanka, India, Himalaya, N. Burma, and China growing to 3-5 meters by 2-4 meters across. Elliptic, serrate, downy glabrous beneath, with prominent 5-7 pairs of veins, dark and fairly glossy green above with lighter beneath and distinctly reddish central vein. Petioles are reddish. Flowers borne in early June; pink in bud opening white flushed with apricot pink in long, loose, fragrant pendant panicles 7-10 cm wide/5 cm long. Fruit is ellipsoid, green first turning red then black. Not particularly attractive. Zone 6.

Descriptions are synopses from Viburnum by Lloyd Kenyon (owns National Plant Collection in the UK) and Krüssman's tomes.

The picture of in Krüssman's text of Viburnum henryi reminds me of Quercus phellos foliage. Of course, willow oak could only WISH to be as fine a plant, but hope springs eternal in those lesser genera.

These species are not yet represented in the Viburnum Valley collection, but will be some day.