Snowball Viburnum slow to flower

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kniphofia Cramlington, United Kingdom(Zone 8a) Aug 06, 2007

A colleague at work asked me why her snowball bush has never flowered. As far as I know the shrub is several years old and healthy, about 6 feet tall but it has never bloomed. It's in a sunny position and gets fed. Does she have a dud? Is there anything she can do to promote blooms?

I've just discovered this forum :)
Sue

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Leftwood Saint Bonifacius, MN(Zone 4a) Aug 06, 2007

Probably the most common cause is pruning.

More than half of the trees and shrubs in your climate bloom on old wood. That means that the flowers that bloom this season were initiated in buds that were produced last season. If these buds are removed, as in pruning, the floral display for the following year is squelched. The Snowball viburnum belongs to this category of woody plants, so if she has been pruning after, say, July15-Aug 1, she has probably been unknowingly removing next years flower buds. Pruning before this time, or pruning out the odd branch that sticks out (anytime) is okay.

To promote flowers on a healthy, growing woody plant, try not fertilizing. Too much fertilizer, and especially one with a lot of nitrogen (the first number in the trio of numbers on the bag), can keep the shrub in a vegetative, growing, non-flowering state.

I've never heard of any viburnum being a "dud", although there are certain cultivars (varieties) that are known to flower sparsely. But that would be silly for a Snowball viburnum, as that is a main attribute of the type.

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June_Ontario Rosemont, ON(Zone 4a) Aug 07, 2007

I have a Snowball Viburnum growing in sand and rocks at the southwest corner of my house. I give it water during dry spells, but no fertilizer. Every winter it dies back almost to the ground, and every year it produces more shoots from the base, all of which flower heavily. My advice would therefore be to prune the shrub hard in late winter, and not give it any fertilizer.

Post #3829320
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Leftwood Saint Bonifacius, MN(Zone 4a) Aug 07, 2007

Hmmm. Are we talking Snowball viburnum, or Snowball hydrangea, June? Viburnums are completely woody shrubs, and should not be dying back over the winter. Moreover, if it dies back, flower buds of Snowball viburnums would be killed too, and it would never bloom.

Post #3829558
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June_Ontario Rosemont, ON(Zone 4a) Aug 07, 2007

Yes, this is my day for being completely dumb. The Snowball shrub I have is indeed the Hydrangea, not the Viburnum. Duh!

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