Viburnum plicatum Tomentosum

The Viburnum Plicatum 'Tomentosum' is a variety of large Chinese Snowball Bush which has the advantage of offering a changing decor from spring to autumn, enhancing its beautiful layered silhouette. This deciduous bush develops horizontally with branching that is organized into wide plateaus, highlighted by delicately pleated and recurved foliage. From May to June, wide and flat inflorescences surrounded by sterile white flowers similar to those of some hydrangeas, cover the top of its lateral branches. In autumn, its foliage takes on beautiful purple-red hues that bring out its lighter wood. This fairly hardy species prefers sunlight but also tolerates partial shade. It prefers non-calcareous soils that remain moist. 

Viburnum plicatum is a deciduous bush of the adoxaceae family (formerly classified in the caprifoliaceae family), native to China and Japan. 'Tomentosum' is a horticultural creation that distinguishes itself from the type by its significant width growth and its large spring inflorescences. With a rather horizontal layered branching, the plant has a characteristic layered habit, its structured and light silhouette making it attractive all year round, even in winter. It will reach approximately 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in height and 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in width at maturity, with a rather moderate growth. Flowering occurs in May and continues until June. The inflorescences in flattened cymes, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 3.9 in) wide, develop on the top of the branches. They are composed of a peripheral crown of well-developed sterile flowers, with elliptical white petals, surrounding small fertile flowers in the form of beige buds and then white-greenish. Pollinated fertile flowers turn into small red and then black berries at maturity, gathered in generous clusters. The leaves, deciduous, measure 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3.1 in) in length, are oval in shape, tapering, strongly veined, with regularly toothed edges. They somewhat resemble hazel leaves. Their colour is a fairly dark and glossy green on the upper side, with the underside being more pubescent. The foliage takes on sumptuous colours in autumn, in orange-red and then crimson.

This particularly ornamental bush deserves a prominent place in a Japanese, English or romantic garden. It can be installed in the center of a mixed border that will showcase summer and autumn blooms, beautiful fruiting, and graphic foliage to not compete with its beauty. It can also be appreciated in winter, thanks to its beautifully stylized branching, with a somewhat Japanese appearance. This Viburnum 'Tomentosum' can also be planted in a grove or hedge, with other flowering shrubs such as sacred bamboo, Black Lace elderberry, the tree of the clergy (Clerodendrum trichotomum), a Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea' whose purple foliage will enhance its white inflorescences and red fruits. It can also be associated with compact photinias, elaeagnus, camellias, pieris or hydrangeas in non-calcareous soil, the choice is vast.