Featured Plant: Viburnum

The longer I garden, the more I love shrubs. I am utterly delighted with every new Deutzia and Weigela that comes out, but I would never forsake my old favorites, like lilacs, hydrangeas and viburnums.

There are over 150 species of viburnums that grow from Zone 2 through 9. These are long-lived and fuss free shrubs that can provide colorful berries for the birds, brilliant fall color and sometimes even fragrance. You're probably familiar with at least a few Viburnums already, like Korean spice, with pink buds that open to white, clove-scented snowballs, the American Cranberry Bush, with it's lacecap flowers and clusters of red berries and the showy Doublefile viburnum, with it's intense orange-red fall leaves set off by almost deep red berries.

Viburnums, as a group, are versatile. There are many native species and there's certain to be one that will suit your growing conditions, no matter how difficult. If you're looking to add some four season interest to your yard, a viburnum could be just what you need.

• Choosing and Growing Viburnums
• Viburnum Leaf Beetle
• Flowers of Koreanspice Viburnum or Korean Spicebush (Viburnum carlesii)
• Berries on Smooth Witherod Viburnum (Viburnum nudum)

Photo: © Marie Iannotti