I don't seem to be having much luck with viburnums. I have 3 different kinds and they have not been producing flowers or berries since I bought them 2-3 years ago in bloom. I know I have Cardinal Candy and burkwoodii sarcoxie. I can't seem to find the name of the third. Since I keep seeing great pictures of viburnums on this forum, it seemed like a good place to start.
thanks!
Christina
Viburnum Question
Victor!!!!!!! ?????
He must be in the garden taking more gorgeous pictures!
Yep, he's the guy to ask- he loves Vibs!
Hi Christina,
Just back from my stickball game in Queens. The berry part is easier than the bloom. For best fruiting, you need two different varieties of the same species. For example, Cardinal candy is a variety of Viburnum dilatatum so you need a different dilatatum for best fruiting. Examples would be Erie or Michael Dodge, but there are others as well. The flowering may just be time. I did not get flowers for a few (2-3) years for most of my viburnums. However, you did say you bought them in bloom. Are they healthy otherwise? Growing well? No pests? Foliage is good?
Hi Victor,
I did buy them all in bloom. I tried looking for the tag of the noid but couldn't find it. (I really need to get better at labeling everything immediately!) But now I'm not sure which one is Cardinal Candy - I thought I knew, but now I'm second guessing. One of the candidates is much narrower and upright (but that one was moved several times so it probably hasn't had a chance to establish and grow much). The other has tripled in size and is much wider - probably 5' x 5'. the larger one looks very healthy - no pests, growing well and foliage looks good. The narrower one is not unhealthy but has not grown much - again probably because I can't make up my mind and I've moved it literally about 5 times in 2 years.
I'd love an ID on both. Leaves are similar enough that I can't tell from looking at pictures. When I google Cardinal Candy, I always get images of the berries. Are the flowers insignificant? Do you have any pics?
As for the noid name - I seem to recall the flowers on one of them being really pretty. White - similar to the picture below. I think I'd recognize the name if I saw it, so if you have any ideas based on the flower type in the picture, I'd love to hear them.
Here's the one I think might be Cardinal Candy. this is the one I keep moving - currently about 2.5 feet tall by 1.5 feet wide.
And here's the other one. I think this is the one with the cool 'tiered' flowers. I know it's probably impossible to tell by looking at these pictures, but can't hurt to try, right?
My suggestion.............get a bag of organic fertilizer labeled "for acid loving plants". Dust the soil now and again in early September. Next spring use about two thirds of the label suggested rate and lightly rake it in. Again a very light dusting in July and September. Keep them mulched lightly and I'm betting my last buck you will flower properly by the end of the second year.
You may also need to add polinating support. In this family I do not know enough to speak up. Looks like Victor has this subject open and suggested.
I'd say the first is a doublefile - maybe Shasta, Mariesii or Summer Snowflake. The second one does look like a dilatatum foliage. Don't know about the third. Looks like many.
We have the "arrowood" viburnum growing wild around our place. They are older than our house (30 yrs) and seem to have no trouble flowering. So I would think that they would need time to get going, shrubs are not just like the usual garden perenial plants.
No comparrison with any plants running over the back forty acres. Those roots are all over the place seeking what they need. In the case of nursery stock the total root mass today is often the total of a one gallon can. They can only get what you give them until they have had time to break out of the grower's ball and seek their own needs. In the case of these plants it takes years for them to become independantly established. This is why really good nurseries us Mycorrhiza when they plant new plant material. The Mycorrhiza does in weeks what it takes the plant roots years to develop. Most non-garden foundation and bed shrubs respond to or will host the "ecto types" of Mycorrhiza. They still need a dusting of the proper fertilizer. The chemical man made types will harm the fungi or Mycorrhiza.
Thanks Victor and all. I was thinking that my noid had the word snow in the name so could the third pic be Summer Snowflake? (The first pic is not mine - found it on google images just as an example of what I remember the flowers to look like on my noid) If so, does Summer Snowflake also need a different variety for berries? How far apart can they be?
Doc - I have some hollytone. It's not too late in the year to fertilize now?
Never to late with organic applications. Make a light one now and another in September.
Christina, a wider shot of the noid would be helpful. The doublefiles have a distinct horizontal branching that's best seen in photos showing the whole plant. Yes, for best berries you need a second variety of the species no matter which it is.
Victor, here's the whole noid. It does seem to have a horizontal branching, much more so than the maybe Cardinal Candy. What do you think?
If this is Summer Snowflake, would I need another doublefile (and also another dilatatum for the CC)? How close do they need to be?
Is that a frog in a smoking jacket holding a tray of candles???
Yes - that does have a horizontal look to it, so it's a good chance. Yes, you would need another doublefile for Summer Snowflake - Shasta, Mariesii or others, and another dilatatum for CC. Don't worry about the spacing - the bees will find it!
WYNwillieB, I'm afraid so...you want it? I'll ship it for free...would just need to figure out a way to keep DH from noticing, LOL!
Victor - thank you!
Any time!
Dare I admit it ... that thing is awesome!!!
LOL WNYwillieB! Dare I ask - are you male?
(looks toward the ground)
uh - huh
Whenever we have company, he invariably becomes a conversation piece. I find that it is typically the men who really like him.
DH brought him home from Christmas Tree Shops one day. For years he 'graced' my dining room. I threatened to toss him at least once a week! This spring we built a screen porch which has a nice view of our two water features. One day I had an epiphany! I dragged him out of the dining room and stuck him in the corner of the screen porch by the door. I don't dislike him quite as much now - I guess he just needed the right place. We call him Mr. Belvedere.
He needs a Bud on that tray. A Bud Candle no less.
Reminded me of that song I used to sing as a little kid:
"The frog he would a-wooing go .... um hmmm .... um hmmmm"
The frog he would a-wooing go .... um hmmm .... um hmmmm
The frog he would a-wooing go .... so he dressed himself from top to toe .....
um hmmm .... um hmmmm"
I'll stop there!!! :-)
Seems like something right out of Brothers Grimm, no?
A little too christmassy for everyday display, but your spot by the pond window is great!
I don't think I would want to look at that everyday, either!! LOL.
In a way, it is sublimely creepy. That's probably why I like it.