Viburnum farreri
Farrer's Viburnum
Common names: Winter Snowball, Fragrant Snowball
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Hardiness
- Hardy
- Pruning
- Mar–Apr
- Flowering
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec
Photo: Sten Porse · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Farrer's Viburnum is a semi‑evergreen shrub that opens pink to white flower spikes from November to March, emitting a strong sweet fragrance. It grows upright and sparse, reaching 2 to 3 m tall and wide, making it suitable as a solitary specimen near windows or terraces where the winter scent can be enjoyed. In autumn the foliage often turns reddish before dropping, revealing the bare, densely budded branches. The species is botanically Viburnum farreri. Like other snowball species, it is mildly toxic; raw fruits, bark, and leaves can cause gastrointestinal upset if ingested, so keep them out of reach of children.
Care instructions
Plant in a semi‑shaded to sunny spot with well‑draining, humus‑rich soil. It tolerates brief dry periods once established. Best planted in autumn (late September to mid‑October, weeks 39 to 41) to allow root development before winter. Pruning is usually unnecessary; if needed, trim lightly after flowering in March to preserve next winter’s buds. In the first year, mulch with leaf or bark humus to protect roots from frost and retain moisture. For early‑season aphid infestations, a strong water spray or introduction of beneficial insects such as ladybirds can restore balance.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringJan–Mar, Nov–Dec
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, humus-rich, nutrient-rich, loamy
The fragrant viburnum likes humus-rich, well-drained garden soil with even moisture. It tolerates waterlogging poorly, and so too long a drought on very sandy sites. A spot near the edge of woodland with loamy, humus-rich soil and a little leaf mulch suits its roots. On lean, exhausted soils, growth stays much weaker.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Mar, May
In early spring the fragrant viburnum welcomes a dose of mature compost, worked in shallowly under the crown. A mulch layer of leaves or bark humus keeps the soil moist and gradually supplies further nutrients. A second, lighter dose of compost after the flowering has faded in spring supports new growth. This undemanding shrub does not usually need more.
Pruning
After the winter flowering has faded in early spring is the right time to remove dead and overcrowded shoots. A thinning cut every few years keeps the shrub open and encourages flower formation the following winter. The fragrant viburnum does tolerate radical cutting back, but afterwards it needs one to two years before the abundance of flowers returns.
Overwintering
The fragrant viburnum is quite hardy in Central Europe and needs no special protection in the garden. Only very young, freshly planted shrubs benefit from a layer of mulch over the root zone in their first winter. The characteristic winter flowers often appear from the first mild days of winter and mostly survive light frost unharmed. In severe, lasting frost, however, individual open flowers can wilt.
Propagation
Methods
- Cuttings
- Layering
- From seed
The most reliable way to propagate it is by semi-ripe cuttings, which you take in summer and put in free-draining seed compost. Rooting takes a few weeks with even moisture and a bright but shaded position. Layering also works well: nick a shoot close to the ground, bury it and weigh it down until it forms its own roots. Sowing is possible, but much more protracted and does not always give plants true to the variety.
For your garden
Grow Farrer's Viburnum yourself
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