Japanese Snowball
(Viburnum plicatum)
Japanese Snowball (Viburnum plicatum)
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peganum from Small Dole, England
CC BY-SA 2.0
Image By:
peganum from Small Dole, England
Recorded By:
Copyright:
CC BY-SA 2.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: peganum from Small Dole, England | License Type: CC BY-SA 2.0 | License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 | Uploader: Josve05a | Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Title: Viburnum_plicatum_mariesii_-_Flickr_-_peganum.jpg | Notes: {{Information |Description ={{en|1=Location taken: Brookside Gardens, Maryland. Names: Taxus x media'Flushing' , Anglo-Japanese Ye Classification: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Spermatopsida > Cupressales > Taxaceae > Tax
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Viburnum plicatum, commonly known as Japanese Snowball, is a deciduous shrub native to woodland margins, scrub, and thickets in China and Japan. This plant typically grows 8-15 feet (2.4-4.5 meters) tall and wide, with a rounded, spreading form. The leaves are dark green and pleated, turning reddish-purple in the fall. The flowers, which bloom in late spring to early summer, are arranged in showy, flat-topped clusters called corymbs, with a mix of fertile and sterile flowers; the sterile ones are larger and more conspicuous. The fruit is a blue-black drupe that is attractive to birds.
Japanese Snowball is valued for its striking flower clusters and vibrant autumn foliage. It is widely used in residential landscapes, foundation plantings, and as a specimen or border shrub. It thrives in moist, well-drained soils and can tolerate a range of light conditions, from full sun to part shade. While generally easy to maintain, it can be susceptible to viburnum leaf beetle and powdery mildew. To prevent potential invasiveness, cultivars with sterile flowers, such as ’Grandiflorum’ and ’Rotundifolium’, are recommended as they produce fewer seeds.CC BY-SA 4.0
Japanese Snowball is valued for its striking flower clusters and vibrant autumn foliage. It is widely used in residential landscapes, foundation plantings, and as a specimen or border shrub. It thrives in moist, well-drained soils and can tolerate a range of light conditions, from full sun to part shade. While generally easy to maintain, it can be susceptible to viburnum leaf beetle and powdery mildew. To prevent potential invasiveness, cultivars with sterile flowers, such as ’Grandiflorum’ and ’Rotundifolium’, are recommended as they produce fewer seeds.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Shrub
- Height: 8-15 feet
- Width: 10-18 feet
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Flower Color: Cream, White
- Flowering Season: Spring
- Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
- Water: Medium
- Drainage: Fast, Medium, Slow
Common Uses
Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Border Plant, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Hedges, Low Maintenance, Showy Flowers, Street Planting
Natural Habitat
Woodland margins, scrub, and thickets in China, Korea, and Japan
Other Names
Common Names: Japansk Snöbollsbuske
Scientific Names: Viburnum plicatum , Viburnum plicatum var. plicatum , Viburnum tomentosum var. plicatum , Actinotinus sinensis , Viburnum plicatum f. rotundifolium , Viburnum tomentosum f. sterile , Viburnum plicatum subsp. plenum , Viburnum plicatum var. dilatatum , Viburnum plicatum var. plenum , Viburnum plicatum var. watanabei
GBIF Accepted Name: Viburnum plicatum Thunb.