Japanese Snowball - 'Viburnum plicatum' Japanese Snowball is a species of dense deciduous flowering shrub originally native to mainland China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Extremely popular for its lovely non-fragrant white snowball-shaped spring flowers and lush green leaves, Japanese Snowball has reddish fall foliage and remains fairly attractive through winter thanks to its unique branching structure. This shrub attracts birds and butterflies with its reddish-black late summer fruit and spring flowers. Japanese Snowball is an excellent foundation plant for house corners and requires limited pruning.
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| Common Name: |
Japanese Snowball |
| Popular Cultivars: |
Chyverton, Grandiflorum, Roseace, Rotundifolium Triumph, var. tomentosum, var. tomentosum types: Cascade, Lanarth, Mariesii, Nanum Semperflorens, Newport, Pink Beauty, Popcorn, Roseum, Rowallane, Shasta, Shoshoni, St. Keverne, Summer Stars |
| Type: |
Flowering Shrub |
| Family: |
Adoxaceae |
| Sun Requirements: |
Partial Shade |
| Leaves: |
Opposite, simple, broad-ovate to oblong-ovate, sometimes elliptic-obovate, 2 to 4 inches long and 1 to 3 inches wide. Acute or abruptly acuminate, rounded to broad-cuneate to cordite. Leaves are dark green and nearly glabrous above. |
| Size: |
8 to 10 feet in height, usually slightly wider than tall at maturity. |
| Hardiness: |
Zone 5 to 8. For an idea of your plant zone please visit the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. |
| Habit: |
Horizontal, tiered branching, creating a stratified effect, appearing rounded to broad-rounded at maturity. |
| Rate: |
Medium |
| Flowers: |
White, no fragrance, outer flowers sterile, 4 to 5 lobes. Flowers are pure snow white; inner flowers fertile, not showy. Borne in May and creating a milky way effect along the horizontal branches. |
| Diseases & Insects: |
Essentially problem free. |
| Landscape Value: |
Possibly the most elegant of flowering shrubs; A choice specimen when placed near red brick buildings where the snow-white flowers are accentuated; massing, screen, shrub border; blends well into a border as the horizontal lines break up the monotony of upright growing shrubs; could be integrated into foundation plantings especially corner plantings where it would help to soften vertical lines and make the house appear longer. |
| Soil Preference: |
Fibrous rooted, transplants well, demands moist, well-drained soil. This plant will not tolerate heavy, clayey, poorly drained soils. |
| Care: |
Water regularly after initial planting and prune as necessary to maintain form and desired shape. |
| Fertilization: |
Fertilize an area three times the canopy spread of the shrub 1 to 2 times a year with a 10-10-10 fertilizer. Only fertilize an established tree.
| | Planting Instructions: |
Dig a hole three times the diameter of the root system, with a depth no deeper than the original soil line on trunk. Break up the soil to the finest consistency possible. Place plant in hole and fill, compacting the fill dirt. Water the plant heavily to seal soil around the roots and remove air pockets. Water well, and remember to water regularly until they have started to grow.
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