Pollinator for blue muffin viburnum

I'm new here and did a unsuccessful search. So the question is will Autumn Jazz pollinate BM viburnum? I planted 2 Blue muffins and one Autumn Jazz. Or is there a more suitable partner? I'm in zone 5. Any help please!

Recommendation from Fairweather Gardens on Viburnums...."for the best fruiting plant 2 or more different selections of each species."
So since the blue muffin and autumn jazz are both dentatum, they will cross pollinate fine.

Thanks Flowerjen, however just in case I picked up a Chicago Lustre this morning. I hope to get alot of fruit!!!

Let me know how it works out for ya, viburnums are the next shrubs on my wish list.

An addition to flowerjen and Fairweather's recommendations:

It is useful to have two or more selections of the same species to achieve cross-pollination, and that applies to the arrowwood viburnums (Viburnum dentatum). These selections need to be blooming at the same time, however, to have [pollen available for pollination.

I am growing more than 25 different selections of arrowwood alone, and I can confidently vouch for the earliest bloomers (of which Blue Muffin® is one) are done blooming before the latest bloomers start (of which Autumn Jazz® is one). Those are two that I would not recommend for pairing, based on years of recording bloom sequences here. Chicago Lustre® should overlap with Blue Muffin®, as it starts a little later but Blue Muffin® should still be going. Chicago Lustre® may last long enough to catch the beginning of Autumn Jazz®.

It would be educational to hear from you again when your arrowwoods are in bloom, to see if the pattern holds up. Discrepancies from bloom sequences can occur, but it is usually due to mislabeled plants. This is notoriously easy among species like viburnums that are easy to propagate from cuttings, and easy to get mixed up by less than steadfast growers. No matter which one(s) you have, though, they are all good plants. One can never have too many viburnums.

If you have room and the gusto, I'd aim to find some more of the selections from the northern IL/Chicago region, including the Klehm clones:

•Indian Summer™ - this is the best reliably red fall color selection for me
•Cardinal™
•Crimson Tide™
•Little Joe™
•Red Regal™

and one from Johnson Nursery in Milwaukee, Red Feather™.

Thanks for the advice VV! If I plant the Chicago Lustre 20-25 feet from the Blue muffin AND they are flowering atthe same time will they cross pollinate?? I'm just trying to balance out the plantings in the yard but hope this distance isn't too great??

I'll report back the flowering sequence. Thanks for all the advice!

This message was edited Apr 16, 2009 6:06 AM

That should be no problem, unless your local bugs spend all day listening to their iPods or playing with their Xboxes.

Viburnums are insect-pollinated, not wind. As long as you have flowers and industrious insects, come summer you should have the fruit.

Thanks! I now have all three arrowwoods planted:

two Blue Muffins
one autumn Jazz
one Chicago lustre

The Blue muffins and Autumn Jazz are budding out nicely. While the Chicago lustre doesn't seem as far along. I hope it catches up.

You may be seeing what I alluded to above. Sometimes, what something is labeled might not necessarily be what it really is.

As long as you have two different clones of arrowwood blooming together out of your herd, you should have cross-pollination and good fruiting.

If you have the chance, take pictures of these plants as they go through their growth cycles, and post them here. It'll be good object lessons to others that come later who'll have the same questions.

Of the three you mention, Autumn Jazz® has the most distinctive foliage. Blue Muffin® is generally more compact (more densely branched) in habit. Chicago Lustre® seems to have a more upright type habit than the other two.