Viburnum trilobum- Red Wing

I have my eye on this on. Like the color of the leaves. And the red berries for the birds. Anyone have any input about this shrub. I read that it likes good drainage but in the spring depending on how much rain we get my back yard can get pretty mushy. Any thoughts?

Hi , ladyg! I just got one two months ago, it's tucked in back there to cross pollinate my big ol' american cranberrybush V. but I know next to nothing about it!! will look forward to the info too. BTW, are you aware of the crosspollination requirements with viburnums?

Hi Sally, man you sure get around in DG, LOL.

Know I didn't know about the crosspollination requirements does that mean I have to grow 2. ?
Wow!! Do I need 2 of the same or will any virburnum do?

Chris

The viburnum crosspollination topic has come up in a few threads since I started lurking here a few weeks ago. Theres a summary on 12/2 in this link on shade tolerant viburnums that I bookmarked and am attempting to paste:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/674338/

Viburnum Valley - do you field enough of these questions that it should be in a "sticky"? A Viburnum FAQ?

That's a good idea. Better yet - a dedicated Viburnum forum with a sticky! Or a seminar at VV's place this Spring.

Summaries are good, Peg; long-winded treatises are timeless.

Coffee and cross-pollination; call with questions.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/568744/

I just took my first look at ladygardener1's thread. I don't usually jump into V. trilobum discussions since this is more of a northerly species which generally performs poorly in KY. I have a few of the cranberrybush types planted here, and some V. sargentii as well so that I can claim to have killed them.

Red Wing™ american cranberrybush (Viburnum trilobum 'J. N. Select') was selected by Johnson's Nursery outside Milwaukee, WI for showy red new growing tips, bright cherry-red clusters of fruit that last all winter and red fall color. It is supposed to be slightly denser than the run-of-the-mill species.

I have several plants (from rooted cuttings) of Red Wing™, and I am impressed with the vigor and rapid growth. It has done everything as advertised (except for the fruits, since I haven't had any flowering pollinators up to size yet). This year should show that character.

Ladygardener1:

I'd be surprised if your conditions weren't suitable. Dirr mentions seeing it growing in ditches in its native haunts. I would bet Kevin will weigh in with some more northerly knowledge about this plant's requirements. You should expect best fruiting when you have two different clones (or seedlings) of the same or closely related species. So, if you choose Red Wing™, then get another V. trilobum known for good fruiting, like 'Wentworth' or one of the others. Quite a few of the V. trilobum clones are NOT known for good flowering and fruiting, so they wouldn't help much.

VG:

Would were there enough traffic to support a whole forum...someday. FAQs are only as good as who uses them. Reviving previous threads seems to work well enough.

I think regional roadtrips are more rambunctious. Looks like northeastward may be "fruitful".

I think a leaning-towards-wet-in-the-spring spot is excellent for this plant. Its cousin, V. opulus, thrives as an invasive plant around here, filling up woodlands, both wet and dry. I have been planting any V. trilobum/opulus/sargentii in some shade, and more moist areas, and I am having better luck than in full sun/more dry sites. I am still not convinced I like this group as I get some leaf spot on many of them, and have had borers in the stems(that could be related to poor hot dry siting on my part). I am encouraged by the first year results of some of the V. sargentii planted in my woods--they are happy, had clean foliage all year, and put on a lot of growth.

As to bird friendliness, this is far from their first choice. Sometimes it seems like their last! I guess it fills a niche as a real late winter food source. I always look at this pair of V. opulus growing wild along a road near my house. Those two are a couple of the most amazing fruit producers, and the fruit hangs until I guess it rots off. You can often see "berry carcasses" left there the next spring.

Thanks, a lot of good information and things to think about till spring!