Viburnum plicatum 'MARIESII' Japanese snowball bush

Mariesii is an architectural shrub with 100% horizontal, tiered branches and profusion of flowers in late spring. It is a variety of Japanese snowball bush with pure white flowers, composed in umbrella-shaped terminal panicles. Most of them are sterile = producing no or very few fruit but if you are lucky to receive them in late summer, they are rich red and mature to black later. Deciduous leaves are mid green, broadly elliptic, furrowed, and serrated at margins.

It grows slowly or medium fast in the same way as cornus controversa. First the plant makes vertical stems which in the next years develop lateral, horizontal layers of branches from side buds along the stems. When the shrub gets well-established it sets new vertical stems and the whole circle repeats while the existing branches increase their length, too. It is soon twice as wide as tall. Its ultimate spread can be as much as three times bigger as opposed to its height.

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. -30°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 27-01-2011; 05-01-2018