Viburnum tinus ROCK & ROLLA® laurustinus

The laurustinus cultivar Rock & Rolla® is one that truly earns its place in the spotlight. It was selected primarily for its unusually large, attractively shaped and coloured young foliage. New shoots emerge in vivid coppery-red tones that gradually mature into deep green. The leathery leaves are evergreen and have characteristically curved margins and a pronounced vein pattern. The shrub grows naturally upright and maintains a neat shape without pruning. In winter it produces very attractive, bright purple-pink buds which open into large, pure white flower clusters from December in the Mediterranean or from early spring in temperate climates. The flowers form dense, full heads that appear far more substantial than those of common cultivars. After flowering, metallic blue fruits follow, persisting into summer and attracting birds. They are inedible.

According to the breeder, Rock & Rolla® reaches around 1.2 metres in height and 0.7 metres in width, though time may show whether it is capable of a little more. It is ideal for smaller gardens, front gardens and low informal hedges. Its compactness is genetic rather than the result of pruning, which was one of the main reasons for its selection. The cultivar was discovered by Thijs Veldhuijzen in the Netherlands and introduced to the market after 2020.

Now, let’s explore its hardiness. In Central Europe, Viburnum tinus has a reputation for being a tender Mediterranean shrub yet experience from growing it since 2004 shows the opposite. It survived the extreme winter of 2006/2007, when temperatures dropped to around minus 27 °C, freezing back to the ground but reliably resprouting from its undamaged base. The leaves are sensitive to severe frost below minus 17 °C only when combined with direct winter sun, so the safest option is to plant it in a position sheltered from early morning light or among other shrubs that provide natural protection. Even without this, the worst that can happen is damage to the upper parts of the branches, which can simply be removed in spring. The root system is hardy to approximately minus 27 °C, meaning that in colder regions it can be grown almost like a perennial, resprouting from the base and forming low, very dense shrubs whenever the upper growth is damaged.
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Viburnum tinus is remarkably healthy in temperate climates and is not usually troubled by pests or diseases. It grows best in fertile, humus-rich and well-drained soil but tolerates much poorer sites as long as they are not waterlogged. It is not demanding regarding pH, although slightly acidic soil enhances the colour of the foliage. It thrives in full sun or partial shade, with full sun giving the best results, and once established it is highly tolerant of prolonged summer drought. In dry winters it benefits from a single deep watering once a month. It does not require shaping, as it naturally maintains a compact habit, but it tolerates any form of pruning. The best time is spring after flowering, when the shape can be refined or spent flower heads shortened, though this will remove the autumn fruit display. Mulching in winter helps protect the roots from temperature fluctuations, and young plants can be sheltered with evergreen boughs. In regions with long periods of frost, winter shade prevents the leaves from being scorched by early morning sun. Fully (stem) hardy to -17 °C (zone 7), and root-hardy down to even -27 °C (USDA zone 5b) on a protected site.

Last update 08-05-2026