. . . . . other than the falling petals of the
Chinese Snowball bush.
So here's a little more info in case you have one, or are considering adding
one to your garden. I have written about it before, however each year people
continue to request more info when they see the mass of blooms open in our
back garden.
Here in the USA this plant does best in zone 3-8 (we are in 7).
Neither, snow - the real kind - ice, flooding, drought, high heat, and often
very high summer humidity, have posed any problems.
It does sit in dappled sunshine which is apparently a good place to
encourage growth and bloom.
If you live elsewhere you may need to check if you are in a good zone in
your country for it to thrive.
Took these photos this morning. Quite a chill in the air after a cold night,
however the sun is bright and no wind disturbs the leaves in the tall oak
and hickory trees surrounding us.
I purchased this plant at the end of summer 2000. It was an 8 inch pot perched
on a rickety sale table at a local DIY store. It looked like a dead stick but there
was a pretty tag on it - aren't they all - showing a beautiful shrub covered
with hydrangea-looking white balls - so I bought it for a few dollars.
TLC, time, patience and good luck seem to have paid off.
I'm thinking my snowball bush has now just about reached its max growth
measurements, 8-10 feet tall by 8-10 feet wide. After hours of heavy
rain on Monday the branches, heavy with blooms, drooped almost to the
ground and I've added pruning to the garden 'to do' list after the flowers
are finished.
Meanwhile, I'm snipping some the lower boughs and really enjoying
them in the house, mixed in with some white azaleas.
Later today I plan a little garden work - I'm limited with my back issue
so just a little at a time - and today it will be planting the amaryllis bulbs
back into the garden where they'll spend the summer months again.
Some years they have bloomed outdoors, a wonderful sight, other years
only green leaves. Whatever they enjoy doing during their summer,
vacation they still bloom in the house again in late winter when I've
shown them off to you. . . . . . probably boring you silly with so many
"amaryllis photos!"
Here I'm sharing more detailed info from the professionals.
How can anyone not want one of these great plants in their garden.
An amazingly 'SHOWY' addition to any landscape; the Viburnum Macrocephalum, more commonly known as the 'Chinese Snowball Bush', is beautiful and easy-to-grow. The flowers emerge a striking lime-green in late spring and gradually turn to snowy-white in mid-May; they retain their green color for several weeks before turning to cream and then to white.
At full maturity, the 'Flower-Balls' resemble brilliant white pom-pom's, reaching up to 8' wide. The 'Chinese Snowball Bush' will bloom in mid-spring for weeks on end.
The Viburnum Macrocephalum is a sterile plant (producing no fruit) so all of its energy goes into blooming and . . . Does it ever!!! A relative of the honeysuckle, the 8' flowering clusters are made up of an abundance of delicate 1' flowers. The clusters resemble the blooms of the Hydrangea plant.
Best of all, this particular variety will provide a longer & more profuse BLOOMING SEASON than any other plant in its family. The foliage of the 'Chinese Snowball' is a brilliant dark green with 2'-4' leaves that have a 'saw-toothed' edge; they are stunning against the stark white of the flowering clusters.
The 'Chinese Snowball Bush' can be trimmed to any size or shape; it can be sculpted into shrubs, hedges, borders and trees. Cut it back after flowering and prepare for another round of blooming; this incredible plant blooms on both, old and new wood.
The Viburnum Macrocephalum is an extremely hardy variety that is resistant to bacterial leaf spot and powdery mildew, unlike its' relatives. If you are looking for an incredible 'point-of-interest' for your landscape, you have found it in the 'Chinese Snowball Bush'.
- Insect & Disease Resistant
- Showy Clusters of 'Flower Balls' (up to 8' wide)
- Repeat Bloomer
- Carefree
- Provides Bountiful Cut Flowers
- Deer Resistant
- Non-Invasive Root System
- Heat & Drought Tolerant
- Attracts Butterflies
How can one go wrong with this plant!
Happy gardening everyone.
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Looking forward to getting Chinese snowball - it's a beauty.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite shrubs, Mary. I planted one in my French garden and hope it is still growing!
ReplyDeleteAmazing what a few dollars got you 22 years ago. It sure is showing off now. Such big, beautiful blooms!
ReplyDeleteThat reminded me of the Snowball bush I had in my previous garden here in the north of New Zealand.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely bush filled with white balls of tiny flowers. It reminds me so much of my daughter's limegreen hydrangeas. They make such striking bouquets.
ReplyDeleteOh, Mary, we had a Viburnum in our front garden when I was a child, right by the path, and naughty neighbourhood children used to delight in shaking the bush when the snowballs were at their peak! It drove my mother nuts :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful plant Mary, and one I have never seen or heard of. Your Snowball bush looks wonderful in the garden, and lovely in the vase too. Sometimes we find a good plant in unusual places. Our best pink climbing rose came from a sale table at a small fund-raiser afternoon at a local aged care centre. It flowers nearly all year round, and never needs attention, which is rare in our humid climate. Hope you had a lovely Easter. xoxox
ReplyDeleteMary this is truly a gorgeous plant. It would grown in our zone which is a five. Have a variety of plants but have never had this one...maybe I will get fortunate and find one on sale that looks a little sad but with some TLC will thrive. Hope you had a lovely Easter.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beauty of a bush. I'd like to find one for our garden. Such gorgeous blooms. I'm glad you mentioned your amaryllis because I saved mine from Christmas and wondered what to do with it. Now I know!
ReplyDeleteSo the snowball bush is related to the honeysuckle, that's interesting! With it resembling hydrangea so much, I would have expected there to be a relation.
ReplyDeleteBut no matter its relatives, it looks fantastic!
I hope your bit of gardening does your back good as exercise and does not make your problems worse.
We're still having cold nights, close to the point of frost, but bright and sunny days with no rain in sight.
I love snowball bushes! I don't know why I never thought to grow one while living in NC. Yours is beautiful. Enjoy your gardening today.
ReplyDeleteIf I had room for one, I'd definitely have one. My parents had a huge snowball bush and I remember the ongoing discussions over it between them. Father wanted it gone and Mother didn't. She prevailed. It's still there and the new homeowner likes it very much.
ReplyDeleteDearest Mary,
ReplyDeleteSo glad your Viburnum Macrocephalum is putting on quite a show.
Ours was at its peak in 2011 and now we've cut many trees in our wood garden, we are hoping for a comeback of this favorite. It got snuffed out from light...
https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2011/03/our-viburnum-tinus-viburnum.html
Lovely photos and it is quite a joy to have when the weather is still cool.
We had another very cool night but the sun is out now. Hoping to be able to run our bikes in the afternoon and for now, Pieter is patching up some bridges in our wood garden, passing over uneven parts in the walk way and at times slippery wet.
Slowly we're getting there. It is quite an upkeep!
Hugs,
Mariette
These are stunning!
ReplyDeleteI love, love snow ball bushes. We have a small one in our garden. In an earlier home where our children grew up we had a very large one similar to yours. One summer we had a snow ball fight and the kids loved it.
ReplyDelete