Viburnum obovatum, Walter Viburnum

Walter Viburnum, in the opinion of some nursery growers, is the very best Viburnum for use in central and south Florida. Unfortunately, it is not widely available but more nurseries are offering it every year. It is a shrub or small tree that can grow to a height of about 20 feet.

Trees occur throughout northern and central Florida south to Charlotte County.

There are forms of this plant that are upright, spreading, weeping or dwarf. It is difficult to determine which form you are buying by simply looking at the plant. The only way to determine the ultimate height and shape of the plant is to know the original source of the plant material. A reputable nursery will know the characteristics of their plants. The evergreen leaves of Walter Viburnum vary from very small to medium sized, glossy, leathery, and dark green. They are also fragrant when crushed. The winter or spring flowers occur in small, convex cymes held at the branch tips before new growth emerges. Flowers can cover the plant with white blooms for about 2 or three weeks. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people. The fruits of this plant are small drupes that turn from red to black during maturation.

Walter Viburnum may be utilized in the landscape as a fine-textured, clipped hedge or tall screen. Small leaves make it a great candidate for shearing into a topiary, espalier or formal hedge.

Walter Viburnum will grow well in a site that receives full sun or shade. It is native to acidic wetland forests which are frequently inundated for a period of time during the year, but it tolerates a broad range of growing conditions including moderate drought. Older specimens can be trained into small trees with several trunks. Nurseries can also train young plants to grow in this manner. They can also be trained into a single trunked plant. This form would make the tree well suited for planting along the streets, especially where wires are overhead. Plants loose most or all of their foliage in the most northern portions of their hardiness range.