Sweet viburnum care guide in Australia

Viburnum is an evergreen bushy shrub with beautifully detailed foliage and fragrant flowers during its blooming season. Sweet viburnum, one of more than 150 species of viburnum, is one of the most popular screening plants for fences in Australia thanks to its rapid and dense growth. When growing viburnum, it is important to research the specific care instructions of the species since each has unique habits and varying needs.

Let’s take a look at how to provide the best care for your sweet viburnum!

 

Temperature & Light

Native to Asia, sweet viburnum typically prefers a warm climate. Luckily, viburnum is known for its resilience and ability to adapt to a range of temperatures. Sweet viburnum can tolerate lower temperatures and extreme weather conditions such as wind and frost, although full to partial shade will provide the optimal conditions for your shrubs to reach their full growth potential. Sweet viburnum is at its happiest when receiving about 4-5 hours of direct sunlight per day or alternatively filtered sunlight throughout the day.

 

Soil

Aside from salty soil, viburnum can grow in almost any type of soil as long as it is fertile and well-drained. Too much moisture in the soil can lead to root rot and other fatal plant diseases. For best results, opt for a potting soil mix, optionally adding peat moss or perlite to the mixture to encourage water drainage. Potted viburnums need to have drainage holes at the bottom to prevent the soil from becoming soggy.

 

Planting

Sweet viburnum can be planted in containers or directly in the ground for hedging and screening. When planted in containers, make sure the pot is large enough to accommodate the plant’s growth for at least two years before needing to size up. A pot that is double to triple the size of the shrub’s root system should be sufficient.

As a fast-growing shrub that can reach heights of up to 3m and a width of around 2m, sweet viburnum is the ideal shrub to use for hedges and privacy screens in your garden. If you want to plant sweet viburnum directly in the soil for hedging or screening, the density of the shrubs will be determined by the width between them. Considering that sweet viburnum reaches an average width of about 2m, ensure a distance of about 1m between each shrub. This will provide each viburnum with optimal room to achieve thick, healthy growth to create a beautiful green hedge or privacy screen.

 

Water

Sweet viburnum needs regular and generous watering for the first few weeks after planting. In the absence of rainfall, newly planted viburnums in warm areas often need as much as 20L of water per week. Viburnums planted in containers may need to be watered more frequently than when planted in well-draining soil directly in the ground. Keep an eye on the moisture levels of the soil to avoid overwatering. Wait until the top few centimetres of the soil have dried out to ensure the plants’ roots are not drenched in water. Although these shrubs are thirsty at first, their irrigation requirements decrease once a strong root system has been established. Matured sweet viburnums do not need to be watered as frequently and can tolerate dry conditions.

 

Maintenance

Another reason why viburnum is such a popular pick for hedging and screening is that it is such a low maintenance plant that does not need a lot of fussing. To maintain a sweet viburnum hedge, regular pruning is required for healthy growth and manicured shaping. Although some people prefer to let viburnum hedges grow freely, it may be necessary to trim the branches if the shrubs are planted next to a pedestrian sidewalk or bordering your neighbour’s yard. Late winter to early spring is usually the best time to treat sweet viburnum to a big trim while light trimming can be done consistently throughout the year to maintain its shape and size.

Luckily, sweet viburnum rarely poses problems related to pests. If you want to give your sweet viburnum a growth boost, spring is the best season for fertiliser. Spread a slow-release fertiliser evenly on the soil surface in order to be absorbed into the root system.

Spring Colours is a plant nursery located in Sydney’s Dural neighbourhood. With over 30 years of experience in garden landscaping and delivering high-quality plants to plant lovers at great prices, we are committed to making the world a greener place and adding new life to your home and garden.

Contact us to find out about our wholesale service delivery or visit our Nursery in Dural to browse our collection of plants!