Viburnum plicatum 'Jww1' KILIMANDJARO® Japanese snowball
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Viburnum
Japanese snowball bush is an architectural shrub from China and Japan with nearly 100% horizontal, tiered branches and profusion of usually white flowers in late spring. Its habit is not only typical and used mostly in Japanese style gardens, but the shrub will also make a showcase in any landscape given enough room around where its prostrate habit will exhibit its almost aristocratic elegance and beauty. I have seen many castle gardens which could easily accommodate it and in full bloom visitors never seem happy enough making enough of its pictures using any available device.
KILIMANDJARO® is an innovative variety of Japanese snowball bred by Jan-Willem Wezelenburg from the Netherlands. It also represents his first big success in the horticultural world. The plant was raised by crossing Pink Beauty variety and an unnamed selection of the species in 2002. First plant flowered in 2005 and further tests proved its stability. It was presented at prestigious trade fair of plant novelties Plantarium 2017 where it was awarded Silver Medal. Patents were granted in the USA (PP22326-2011), Europe (EU35852), and in Japan (JPN 32842).
KILIMANDJARO® is the first compact and narrowly pyramidal growing Japanese snowball known to trade. Unlike the species and its most popular varieties which are rather spreading and substantial in size this one keeps a nice shape and fits almost every garden. In mid May appear flattened corymbs composed of both fertile and sterile lace-cap flowers. Sterile flowers are large, snow-white, and occupy about a quarter of the inflorescence. Fertile flowers are tiny, creamy white, insignificant, but when pollinated they are followed by attractive blue berries later. Non edible, non poisonous. The first flowering phase lasts 3-4 weeks, then the plant has a short rest, and soon produces new flowers which sporadically pop up until early autumn.
Deciduous leaves are ovate to broadly elliptic, furrowed, and serrated at margins. They emerge green, tinted bronze, change to rich green in summer, and turn bright red and burgundy red in autumn. KILIMANDJARO® grows fast but may be pinched or clipped after the first flowering phase (June).
Last update 06-12-2020
Deciduous viburnums grow in any well-drained, medium fertile soil. They like full sun and even moisture but will also grow in part shade and can take temporary drought once established. Pruning is not required or even recommended as it could spoil the natural shape of the plant. Fully hardy to min. -34 °C (USDA zone 4).
