It typically has a height and spread of 6-15 ft. Whenever you cut back stems, the plant receives signals for new growth and, in response, sends out tender young shoots at cutting points. Do not eat the berries of the arrowwood because they can upset your stomach. If no new leaves appear on stems, wait another week or two before pruning. Her latest book, "A Travel for Taste: Germany," was published in 2015. Clip the new stems, or suckers, at the base of the arrowwood viburnum shrub as soon as they appear to keep the bush from spreading. It is often used as a hedge or natural screen in landscaping. Best in full sun to part shade.The shallow, fibrous root system benefits with a light layer of mulch to moderate soil temperature fluctuation and conserve moisture.Renewal pruning and heading back may be necessary to keep this suckering plant in bounds. Although they usually grow naturally into well-formed plants, with varieties ranging in height from 2 to 30 feet, some pruning might be in order to shape a viburnum or to keep its size within bounds. Noted for its intensely fragrant, pink flowers, Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' is a strong-growing large deciduous shrub which is prized by most gardeners for its spectacular floral display. Although you can remove damaged branches or trim a small twig or two on a viburnum at any time without risk to the plant, it's best to avoid any major pruning during late summer or early fall. Buy Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' from Sarah Raven: This viburnum is a winter-flowering garden classic with incredible scent. You can prune a viburnum in late winter or early spring, before new growth appears. Fungal leaf spots typically occur during warm, moist summer months, and initially will occur on older foliage. Viburnum dentatum is native from Maine to Florida, east to Texas and north to Iowa. Viburnum pragense is an evergreen viburnum that occasionally drops its leaves during a cold winter. The best trimming method depends partly on your goal. A detailed explanation of the benefits, techniques and results associated with dormant pruning of deciduous shrubs. Flowers on old stems, prune after flowering. Remove the oldest stems near the base to open the inside of the shrub and promote new growth, air circulation and light penetration. This pruning schedule leaves enough time for new growth with buds for the following spring's flowers to develop before winter arrives. Next, add a 2-inch layer of mulch such as straw or shredded bark, to help conserve soil moisture and keep down weeds that compete for soil nutrients. Click here to find out more. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! https://homeguides.sfgate.com/prune-arrowwood-viburnum-51713.html Many times, a plant may outgrow its intended size in the landscape, and must be pruned to re-define its purpose. Make slanted cuts at the desired length with a pruning shear or knife, wiping your blade with rubbing alcohol between cuts to prevent spreading plant diseases. Provide supplemental water during dry spells, aiming for one inch of water weekly, including rain. The arrowwood’s dense foliage and multiple-stemmed growth pattern make good harbor for bird nests. If you trim a plant in winter or early spring, you'll remove some of these flower buds and lessen flowering for the current season. Marie is a certified master gardener and has a Ph.D. in anatomy from Temple University School of Medicine. Its popular name comes from the fact that Native American populations are said to have used its straight stems as arrow shafts. Train a young or rejuvenated arrowwood shrub into a small tree shape by selecting a strong, straight branch as a central trunk. Also a photographer, she records adventures by camera, combining photos with journals in her blogs. Its most notable feature is the glossy dark green foliage and its performance in warmer zones from 6 south. It has white flowers which are borne in June, followed by clusters of blue-black berries and reddish-purple foliage in fall. Other common names arrowwood 'Aurora' . Arrowwood viburnum is a multi-stemmed, flowering, deciduous shrub that typically grows up to 6’ to 10’ feet tall and often has a similar spread. Mow the suckers when you mow the lawn or snip them individually with sharp pruning shears. She has also published in hobbyist offerings such as The Hobstarand The Bagpiper. Downy arrowwood is a little known native viburnum that has ornamental characteristics similar to the more commonly planted southern arrowwood. This rounded shrub grows 6 to 10 feet high or more with a spread just as big. This woody, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub has a rounded shape and grows 5 to 9 feet tall and wide. Find help and information on Viburnum dentatum Southern arrowwood Arrowwood, including varieties and pruning advice. Viburnum carlesii (Arrowwood) will reach a height of 2m and a spread of 2m after 5-10 years. Whenever you cut back stems, the plant receives signals for new growth and, in response, sends out tender young shoots at cutting points. This allows you to plan its future growth and maintain it with proper, annual pruning in subsequent years. While light pruning can be performed anytime throughout the year, it’s best to leave any major shearing or severe pruning for late winter or early spring. No garden should be without it. Click here to find out more. You can also help determine the direction of new shoots by cutting just ahead of a bud or side branch that's facing where you want new growth to appear. Most are deciduous shrubs with attractive, often fragrant white flowers in spring, followed by red-to-purple fruits and colorful foliage in the fall. With this timing, cuts you've made to its branches heal quickly as soon as the plant starts growing, while insects that might attack the fresh wounds are mostly still dormant. Viburnum dentatum 'Christom'. In many cases, pruning just after flowering but before the setting of seedpods is sufficient. Karren Doll Tolliver holds a Bachelor of English from Mississippi University for Women and a CELTA teaching certificate from Akcent Language School in Prague. When this happens, pruning is your tool of choice to rejuvenate the plant. It has toothed leaves and small, creamy white flowers in May to June that mature to bluish black spherical fruits. When to prune Viburnum pragense after a hard winter is after new growth starts appearing. In addition, the flowers, if pollinated by a neighboring shrub, give way to blue-black berries in the autumn that birds love to feed on. Shape the growth above this point as a treetop. Find help and information on Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Mohawk' Arrowwood, including varieties and pruning advice. Arrowwood viburnum gets its name from the fact that Native American tribes used the straight branches of this shrub to make arrow shafts. Spread a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around the base of the arrowwood viburnum that tapers off toward the trunk. Southern Arrowwood performs best with occasional pruning to maintain shape and rejuvenate the plant. Grow in full sun or partial shade, in a moist, well-drained soil. Joanne Marie began writing professionally in 1981. If the shrub just needs a bit of shaping, cut back overly long branches or any that are growing in an awkward direction. Family Adoxaceae . Of course, much of viburnum pruning depends on the variety grown too. Remove all other stems at ground level and remove any side stems below a point of your choosing. After you've trimmed a viburnum, keeping the plant well-watered helps stimulate new growth and avoids stressing the shrub. Two types of arrowwood viburnum sold at garden centers that are known for their glossy leaves are: We use cookies to personalise content, analyse website performance and for advertising purposes. Should I consider hard pruning to restore it and encourage more grow... Arrowwood viburnum--pruning for overgrown? Her work has appeared in health, medical and scientific publications such as Endocrinology and Journal of Cell Biology. However, when grown in optimum conditions, it may grow up to 15’ feet tall. It is shown to be hardy in the zones from 3-7 and has a medium to fast growth rate depending on controlling grasses around a newly planted plant. They reach a height of six to 15 feet, with a similar spread. They are not edible for humans, however. You can prune a viburnum in late winter or early spring, before new growth appears. Keeping up appearances… Arrowwood Viburnum—also known as Southern Arrowwood—is a stunning shrub that is widely used for hedges, screens, or as a stand-alone landscape specimen. Click here to find out more. Cut all the stems of an older, unruly arrowwood shrub that has not had regular pruning almost to ground level in early spring before new growth appears to rejuvenate it. How to Trim a Mature Pomegranate Tree or Bush, Missouri Botanical Garden: Viburnum Dentatum, University of Illinois Extension: Prune Shrubs on a Regular Basis, How to Shape a Camellia Japonica Pink Perfection Plant. Therefore, annual pruning at the right time of the growing season is necessary to keep the arrowwood viburnum nicely shaped and in place. Do not remove more than one-third of the entire shrub during pruning. Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs; Wall-side Borders; Weather exposure. exist. The best time to prune is after flowering. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Fine Gardening: Troubleshooting Viburnums, University of Minnesota Extension: Pruning Flowering Shrubs to Maximize Bloom, Clemson Cooperative Extension: Pruning Shrubs, U.S. Department of Agriculture: Plant Hardiness Zone Map. In autumn, these bushes bear not only attractive, reddish fall foliage, but also bluish berries. ‘Emerald Lustre’ – This plant is a selection of Viburnum bracteatum, which is closely allied or identical to V. dentatum. It typically grows in areas with full sun to part shade in average, well-drained soil. The Arrowwood Viburnum is a native plant that is a multi-stemmed, rounded shrub with dark green, glossy foliage. It’s a popular choice for hedging but may also be grown as a specimen shrub in a mixed border. If you trim a plant in winter or early spring, you'll remove some of these flower buds and lessen flowering for the current season. If the viburnum has become too large or is old and needs renewing, you can cut back about a third of its branches the first year, repeating the process for the next two years until you've trimmed the entire shrub. Spread compost on the ground under the plant, as far out as the edge of its canopy. For example, to help fill an empty spot, cut just ahead of a bud that's facing toward the space. To preserve the spring blooms, you can trim the plant in late spring or early summer, shortly after it drops its flowers. Prune as needed immediately after flowering. May be difficult to find in local nurseries. The best trimming method depends partly on your goal. In early to mid-summer, the plant is smothered with a profusion of creamy-white flowers, followed by remarkably intense azure-blue berries in late summer and fall. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Mulches of shredded pine or hemlock keep the roots cool and moist, but too much mulch piled against the trunk creates entry points for insects and diseases and encourages the bark to rot. Genus Viburnum can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with opposite, simple or palmately lobed leaves and clusters of small, often fragrant white or pink flowers, followed by red, blue or black berries It has a significant amount of arrowwood viburnum, with long drooping branches that touch the ground. If you don’t want the plant to spread into a large thicket, keep the suckers at the base pruned away. Nice shaped rounded shrub. Make slanted cuts at the desired length with a pruning shear or knife, wiping your blade with rubbing alcohol between cuts to prevent spreading plant diseases. Genus Viburnum can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with opposite, simple or palmately lobed leaves and clusters of small, often fragrant white or … Viburnums are notoriously tough plants that require very little special maintenance and care. The deciduous arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) grows easily in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. When to Prune Viburnum. Other common names arrowwood 'Eskimo' . Is this considered overgrown? Find help and information on Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' Arrowwood 'Pink Dawn', including varieties and pruning advice. In many cases, pruning just after flowering but before the setting of … Viburnum dentatum Blue Muffin® (Arrowwood Viburnum) is a compact, upright, deciduous shrub of rounded habit with a foliage of shiny green leaves, that turn shades of purple-red and gold in fall. Its clusters of tiny white flowers appear in late spring. Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) For prices and sizes click here. Adding a layer of compost also helps increase the fertility of the soil. Choosing the best time for trimming can help ensure a good result. Arrowwood viburnums are flowering shrubs, bearing clusters of white flowers in spring. Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is a rounded deciduous shrub typically matures between 6 and 10 feet tall and wide, making it an ideal plant for hedging.Under optimum growing conditions, the shrub can reach a height of 15 feet, so it could potentially … "This species is native to the Chicago Region according to Swink and Wilhelm's Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research." If you prune after the buds form, you reduce the flowers for the following year. Prune the upper stems of the arrowwood viburnum with sharp pruning shears or loppers within two weeks after it flowers in the summer because buds for the following year’s flowers will form during the summer. 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