Viburnum farreri 'CANDIDISSIMUM' Farrer's viburnum, fragrant viburnum
Viburnum
The genus Viburnum includes around 150 species distributed across the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, from eastern Asia through the Caucasus and Europe to North and South America. Botanically, it is an exceptionally diverse group: it comprises both deciduous and evergreen shrubs, species with strongly fragrant flowers as well as those with only a faint scent or none at all, and others grown primarily for their (inedible) fruit. This diversity is reflected in common horticultural practice and several informal groups – the fragrant winter viburnums (V. farreri and V. × bodnantense), the fruiting viburnums (V. opulus, V. trilobum), the evergreen Asian viburnums (V. davidii, V. tinus, V. cinnamomifolium), the large-leaved ornamental viburnums (V. plicatum, V. japonicum), and many more, including hybrids that combine traits from several groups. The genus has been known since antiquity, and its Latin name Viburnum appears in the works of Roman authors around the turn of the era, such as Virgil and Pliny the Elder.
The fragrant viburnum, Viburnum farreri, originates from northern China, where it grows on mountain slopes and open woodland margins. Although it had already been mentioned by the Russian collector and traveller Potanin in 1885, it was first brought to Europe by the plant collector William Purdom (1880–1921) during his expeditions for the Veitch nursery in 1910. Shortly afterwards it was rediscovered in the wild and brought to wider attention in Western botany by Reginald Farrer (1879–1955), who wrote about it, sent home seed, and described it as one of the most striking shrubs of the winter season. The species was formally described by William Wright Smith and George Forrest, who honoured Farrer’s contribution to the knowledge of Chinese flora by giving the plant his name. In its native habitat, where winters are milder, this viburnum can flower at the very beginning of the cold season, while in Central Europe its buds open later, yet still at a time when the garden remains in deep dormancy. In Britain it quickly became an important element of so‑called winter gardens (not glasshouses). In China, viburnums were traditionally planted near dwellings as symbols of unity and good health, and similarly in Europe winter‑flowering viburnums are often placed along paths, near doors and windows, so that their blossoms greet us at the closest possible distance.
Candidissimum is a sterile selection of the fragrant viburnum with pure white flowers, unlike the slightly pink‑tinged botanical species whose original finder and date of discovery have not been preserved in the literature. Its name means “dazzlingly white”, and it is sometimes encountered under the less poetic name ‘Album’. Because it flowers from winter into spring on bare branches, its freshly opened blossoms can truly resemble tiny clouds of newly fallen snow. It may bloom as early as December if winter is delayed and frost has not yet arrived, or at any time from January to March once the cold subsides and milder weather settles in. The flowers are small, tubular, gathered into dense, semi‑rounded clusters about 5 cm across, and they carry a beautifully sweet fragrance. Its scent is surprisingly intense—sweet, lightly spicy, with hints of almond and vanilla—and in the leafless season it drifts around the shrub like an eager welcome to spring. On warmer days it can perfume an entire corner of the garden, while on frosty mornings it lingers close to the branches and is best appreciated when you come closer.
The shrub is attractive even when not in flower. It bears decorative foliage and has a compact habit. The leaves are deciduous, narrowly oval, strongly veined with finely toothed margins, light green in summer, turning first wine‑red and later orange and yellow in autumn. The stems are reddish‑brown and the leaf stalks red. The shrub forms a rounded shape, grows densely and upright, and requires no pruning to maintain good branching.
The fragrant viburnum is one of the most reliable winter‑flowering shrubs and requires no special care. It grows best in a sunny to partially shaded position, in fertile, moderately moist soil that does not dry out completely in summer. It tolerates heavier soils and ordinary garden conditions well, making it suitable for most gardens without the need to amend the soil profile. It does not require pruning, but you can keep it cleaner and more compact with a light spring trim immediately after flowering, so the shrub has time to set buds for the following winter; pruning should be done before the leaves emerge to avoid excessive sap flow. It is hardy to around –34 °C and is also suitable for growing in large outdoor containers.
Last update 25-11-2022; 31-12-2025
