
A: The best time to prune snowball bush, Viburnum
Viburnum
Viburnum is a genus of about 150–175 species of flowering plants in the moschatel family Adoxaceae. Its current classification is based on molecular phylogeny. It was previously included in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae.
How big do Snowball bushes get?
At maturity, Snowball Bushes can be very tall and wide (up to 20 feet in each direction for Viburnum macrocephalum ), and their branches shoot out from the center. Can You Start a Snowball Bush from a Cutting?
Can you start a snowball bush from a cutting?
Can You Start a Snowball Bush from a Cutting? If your Snowball is already mature, you can grow more bushes using cuttings from a healthy plant. Test branches to see if the wood is soft. If the branch bends before breaking in two, it can be cut off using sharp pruning shears and planted stem-down to grow new bushes.
Are Snowball bushes edible?
The last snowball bush plant that strives at spring is the European Snowball Bush, also called Cranberrybush. It gives your yard a feel of nature. It is cultivated basically for its flowers and berry fruits. The fruit may be edible, but only in small quantities.
What is the best Snowball shrub?
So if you are looking to cultivate a snowball shrub for the height, the Viburnum will be the best to look into. Hydrangea will grow well in colder climates, while a Viburnum will not grow in a region colder than the U.S department of agriculture plant hardiness zone 6.

Can you shape a snowball bush?
2:344:10Prune a Snowball Bush - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHard trimming in spring after the bloom to avoid damaging the bushes buds the next year you can trimMoreHard trimming in spring after the bloom to avoid damaging the bushes buds the next year you can trim the branches. This way to maintain the snowball bushes rounded shape or sculpted into a hedge.
Are there miniature snowball bushes?
Amazon.com: Newport Viburnum - Miniature Snowball Bush Shipped 1 to 2 Feet Tall by DAS Farms (No California) : Patio, Lawn & Garden.
How far back can I cut my snowball bush?
Cut from one to three of the oldest branches back to the ground to renew the shrub. You may cut up to one-third of the old stems from overgrown smooth-leaf hydrangeas to the ground to renew them. Renewal may affect the succeeding year's bloom, so limit its use to overgrown plants or plants whose bloom has fallen off.
How big does a Dwarf Snowball bush get?
At a height of 4 to 5 feet tall and 7 to 8 feet wide, we'd have no problem suggesting this super hardy and low maintenance evergreen flowering powerhouse shrub as a home foundation plant.
Do snowball bushes have invasive roots?
Common Snowball Bush This variety does not produce fruit and is non-invasive. This bush flowers heavily in late spring into summer. These flowers make lovely cut flowers to bring the beauty indoors. This large plant makes a lovely focal or hedge and looks fabulous in groups of 3.
Should snowball bushes be cut back?
The Snowball Viburnum is a deciduous shrub, so it sheds its leaves in the fall and blooms form on old wood. If you're training your Snowball Viburnum Shrub to provide a lot of blooms, prune it back in spring after it has begun blooming to encourage more growth.
Is a snowball bush and a hydrangea the same thing?
Although they look similar, snowball bush (Viburnum plicatum) and the snowball hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) are actually two different plants. The two are both deciduous shrubs with similar characteristics and some distinctions.
How tall do snowball bushes get?
Snowball bush is relatively easy to grow, is low-maintenance and matures into a large dense bush up to 12 feet tall. It has good drought tolerance. Snowball flowers are green, then turn white and often fade into a rosy pink.
Where is the best place to plant a snowball bush?
Planting. Plant in full sun to part shade. While the Common Snowball Bush does well in some shade, about 6 hours of sun is ideal for best blooming. A well-draining and slightly acidic soil is ideal, but this hardy viburnum is adaptable to most soils.
Does a snowball bush like sun or shade?
full sunWhile they will do fine in partial shade, these plants love the light of a full sun throughout their growing season. Plant your shrubs in an area of your garden where they can bask in the sunshine for at least six hours a day—this is key to helping your snowball bush viburnum grow to its full potential.
What is the smallest evergreen shrub?
The Best Small or Dwarf Evergreen Shrubs Small juniper shrub (Juniperus)—Fast growing dwarf evergreen that can have a low-spreading growth habit and is excellent as ground cover plant, short hedge, or border shrub. Compact holly shrub (Ilex)—A dwarf thorny evergreen shrub with berries.
Are snowball bushes poisonous to dogs?
Are Viburnum Poisonous to Dogs. According to The ASPCA's Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, no viburnum species are listed as toxic to dogs.
Are there different kinds of snowball bushes?
The most common is the European snowball bush, which is also called Roseum, according to DIY Network. There are also other types, such as the Japanese snowball bush, Chinese snowball bush, and the fragrant snowball bush.
Where is the best place to plant a snowball bush?
Planting. Plant in full sun to part shade. While the Common Snowball Bush does well in some shade, about 6 hours of sun is ideal for best blooming. A well-draining and slightly acidic soil is ideal, but this hardy viburnum is adaptable to most soils.
Is a snowball bush and a hydrangea the same thing?
Although they look similar, snowball bush (Viburnum plicatum) and the snowball hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) are actually two different plants. The two are both deciduous shrubs with similar characteristics and some distinctions.
How many times a year does a snowball bush bloom?
Snowball bushes growing in colder climates are probably hydrangeas. The hydrangeas have a much longer bloom period than the viburnums, with blossoms remaining on the shrub for as long as two months. Hydrangeas bloom in spring and may rebloom in fall, while viburnums bloom in summer.
Where Does This Shrub Grow?
Gardeners in planting zones 3 to 8 can grow snowball bush. The best location for the shrub will be one in full sun (in the North) and with a well-d...
How to Care For Snowball Bushes
Water snowball bush enough to keep its soil evenly moist, as it does not like dry ground. Conserve soil moisture (and suppress weeds, to boot) by a...
What Other Shrubs Share This Common Name?
People apparently find the name of "snowball bush" appealing, because several other plants have commandeered it as their own common name, including...
Landscaping Uses For Snowball Bushes
Some uses for snowball bushes in the yard are as: 1. Hedge plants 2. Specimen plants for spring and/or fall
What is a snowball bush?
Snowball bush viburnum is a popular and easy-to-grow landscape plant native to Europe and Asia. This large, moderately-quick growing shrub forms an upright dense mound and features 3-inch round clusters of flowers (resembling, of course, a snowball) that start out apple-green and morph to white, eventually fading to a rosy color similar to hydrangeas. Best planted in the fall, snowball bush viburnum flowers each spring, followed by clusters of red berries that eventually ripen to black. The leaves of the bush are dark emerald green and somewhat resemble the leaves of maple trees. Like maple trees, the leaves of the snowball bush viburnum can turn reddish-orange in the fall, making it a perfect year-round landscape addition and specimen plant for spring or fall.
How much sun does a snowball bush need?
Light. The best location for the shrub will be one in full sun, especially in cooler Northern states. The snowball bush likes at least six hours of sunlight per day in order to produce the biggest masses of flowers.
What color are the leaves on a snowball bush?
Like maple trees, the leaves of the snowball bush viburnum can turn reddish-orange in the fall, making it a perfect year-round landscape addition and specimen plant for spring or fall. Botanical Name. Viburnum x carlcephalum. Common Name.
What type of soil does a snowball bush like?
The snowball bush prefers well-drained, loamy soil but it isn't too particular and will grow well in many different soil types. It also tolerates a wide range of soil pH, but slightly acid is best.
Why do you leave space between snowballs?
It is a good idea to leave space between your snowball bush and other plants to reduce the chance of attack by bacterial leaf spot or powdery mildew.
Can snowball bush survive drought?
The snowball bush can tolerate fairly harsh winters and is drought-hardy once established. Additionally, it doesn't have any special humidity needs.
How to maintain snowball bush shape?
You can trim the branches this way to maintain the snowball bush’s rounded shape or sculpt it into a hedge.
What is a snowball bush?
Snowball bushes are known for the puffy, white flowers that bloom on them year after year. What many people don’t realize is that several different plants are called snowball bushes. Viburnum bushes bloom in the spring, while hydrangea bushes bloom in the fall. Depending on which variety you have, make slight adjustments to your pruning routine in order to help your plant thrive.
How to trim snowball bushes?
If your bush needs serious work, use shears to trim the shoots and branches back. You can also cut out the larger, older shoots to thin the plant.
How long do hydrangeas stay on the plant?
Hydrangea blossoms stay on the plant for about 2 months, longer than viburnum blooms.
How to grow a sage bush?
Cut older branches back to the growth nodes. Check the branches for thick spots where new buds form. Trim thick, woody branches right above this point. Doing this encourages the plant to grow new branches, which can be helpful if your bush looks a little thin or ragged.
How to remove old tree branches?
2. Cut the oldest shoots near the ground. The oldest branches are the thickest, woodiest ones. They may produce side shoots or have flaky bark that make them easier to recognize. Using a clean, sharp pair of shears, cut as close to the soil as you can to completely remove the shoots.
Do you have to deadhead hydrangeas?
You don’t have to deadhead hydrangea since you remove the old blooms when you trim back the branches.
How big are snowball bush blooms?
The blooms start as pink buds that unfurl to reveal blush pink white flowers. Individual flower globes measure 5 inches across and are made of up to 100 individual blossoms. The scent is rich and pervasive with carnation clove overtones.
What is the name of the snowball bush?
Can't get enough of the gorgeous snowball bush? You can easily satisfy your desires because seven different viburnum shrubs go by the name snowball bush. European snowball bush, also known as Viburnum opulus 'Roseum', is probably one of the most common ones. Other favorites include Japanese snowball bush, typically listed as Viburnum plicatum, and fragrant snowball bush ( Viburnum carlcephalum ). Chinese snowball bush ( Viburnum macrocephalum) is another classic, as is the grand-flowering snowball bush ( Viburnum plicatum 'Grandiflorum').
What is a snowball bush viburnum?
During the growing season, snowball bush viburnum has green leaves that provide a beautiful backdrop to the spring flower show. It' s an easy-growing shrub that thrives in full sun to part shade.
When do viburnum snowballs bloom?
This viburnum snowball bush opens white flowers in mid-spring. The blossoms are 2 to 3 inches across and fade from white to pink as they age. Fall leaf color features shades of burgundy and purplish red.
When do snowball bush flowers bloom?
European snowball bush blooms in spring opening flower clusters that are 3 inches across. The flowers start apple green and age to white. This is one of the oldest recorded viburnums, dating to the 16th Century, when it was called "sambucus rose.".
What is a low growing juniper?
The low-growing shore juniper, or Juniperus conferta, is a beautiful plant for dry areas. How to Plant Bromeliads. Learn about this low-maintenance family of plants known for its clustered leaves and showy, long-lasting flowers. How to Grow Blueberries. Blueberry plants can produce fruits for decades.
Do quirky plants need soil?
These quirky plants don’t need soil, but they can’t live on air alone. Here’s what you need to know to keep them healthy.
What is snowball bush?
Snowball bush is a common name used to classify several ornamental plants that produce large clusters of white flowers that resemble heaps of snow. The major pros that are common with the varieties of this ornamental plant are that they are easy to cultivate and maintain. It also does well with most soil types.
How tall does a snowball shrub get?
The mature shrub will reach up to 10 feet high. It is one of the last of the very fragrant flowers to bloom in spring. During this season, the flowers attract bees and butterflies. The fragrant snowball grows better in full or partial sun in the Sunset Climate Zones.
How tall does a hydrangea shrub get?
Both of them are similar because they both produce the same type of flowers. The following are the differences between them. Hydrangea shrubs grow 5 – 10 feet tall, while Viburnum grows between 10 – 20 feet. So if you are looking to cultivate a snowball shrub for the height, the Viburnum will be the best to look into.
What is the difference between a snowball hydrangea and a viburnum?
Another difference between these two shrubs is that Hydrangea flowers in summer while Viburnum blossoms in spring.
How tall are Chinese snowballs?
They are also as tall as the previous and even more. At full maturity, they reach between 15 to 20 feet in height.
What are the two types of snowball bushes?
They are as follows: Species of Hydrangea, which tend to flower in the summer: Species of Viburnum, which tend to flower in the spring:
How tall does a Japanese snowball bush grow?
Japanese snowball bush (Viburnum macrocephalum) grows into a large plant considered to be almost the size of a tree. It can grow as tall as 15 feet, producing lacy white gloves of flower clusters hanging heavy on the branches.
Can You Keep a Hydrangea Small?
The most effective ways to tend a garden are often more about helping plants do what comes naturally than about making them do what we want. Despite all the weeding, mulching, pruning, and watering that we do, we’re never in complete control when dealing with living things.
Four Ways to Keep Hydrangeas Smaller
However, none of this means you’re doomed to have your Hydrangeas overrun your beds, walkways, and trellises. A savvy grower can use a number of strategies to fit these exuberantly flowering shrubs into a well-ordered garden.
What To Do With an Overgrown Hydrangea
Of course, it’s all well and good to advise you to pick the right variety, consider container growing, and select a spot with the ideal balance of sun and shade.
The Bottom Line
Just like people, Hydrangeas will be happiest where they’re welcome. If you’re constantly struggling to trim your shrub down to size, you might want to consider transplanting it to someplace with more room and replacing it with a smaller variety.
What is a snowball bush?
Snowball bushes, also known as Viburnum opulus "Roseum," are tall ornamental shrubs that produce vibrant white blooms resembling their wintery namesake . Their colorful spring and summer evolution begins with green blooms before turning bright white and fading to pink as they wither. In the fall, the snowball bush's foliage turns yellow and red, ...
How to propagate snowball bush?
Snowball Bush Propagation. Take snowball bush cuttings in mid-spring when it's early in the growing period. Look for a current growth about 6 inches long with leaves on the branch. Prune the branch just under a leaf node, using sanitized pruning shears to prevent disease .
How to treat snowballs in the summer?
Snowballs are prone to fungal spots and mildew on their leaves, especially during the warm summer months. Monitor leaves for the sign of mold or fungus and apply an appropriate fungicide.
How high do snowballs grow?
Choose a planting spot that affords the snowball plenty of room to grow. Snowballs like to spread their roots and can grow as high as 12 feet. A spot receiving six to eight hours of bright sun each day is ideal. Advertisement.
What insects are in snowball bushes?
Snowball bushes attract a variety of insects including aphids, beetles and caterpillars. Spray with an appropriate pesticide if pest damage crosses the threshold of what's acceptable to you, following the directions on the label.
How to grow a bush with a ball?
Advertisement. Dig a hole wide enough and deep enough to accommodate the bush's root ball so it's snug but the roots have enough room to spread out. Add compost to enrich the soil and add water to establish roots. Top the soil with mulch to protect the roots from weeds and the elements.
Do snowball bushes like sun?
Thriving in U.S. Department of Agriculture Zones 3 to 8, snowball bushes prefer full sun but also do well with partial shade. Best planted in the fall or spring, snowball bushes appreciate well-drained soil. Choose a planting spot that affords the snowball plenty of room to grow.
