A BREATH of FRESH AIR: Snowball Bush

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

After the storm. . . . . .the garden this week -

We arrived home from a weekend out of town and found the garden

sparkling with color. That night terrible storms passed

through the area and I feared waking to azaleas and such beaten down,

their lovely blooms blown away or scattered across the ground in the wake

of the high winds and several hours of torrential rain.

Monday was clean up day, mostly small branches, twigs and debris from

where the water had swirled through the garden. Flowers looked somewhat

battered but not broken and by yesterday, with brilliant sunshine and a Spring

breeze, everything perked up and we enjoyed afternoon coffee on the front porch

with a friend who was kind enough to say how lovely the garden was looking.

George Taber - my favorite azaleas.

Spanish bluebells beneath the fig tree.

Bluebells and Solomon's Seal.

Hickory tree catkins awaiting wind pollination.

Hoping lovely plants are beginning to bloom in your Spring garden.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Snowballs in Spring. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . on the Chinese Snowball bush (Viburnum Macrocephalum) which is now a tree!

It's so tall now and probably has reached its mature height of

around 10 feet.

Below, I've added a full professional description of this fun shrub

in case you are interested in adding one to your landscape. You can grow it

successfully if you are in zones 3-8 here in the US. I am in 7 and have found

this shrub low maintenance and easy to grow. Mine was a tiny potted

one - rescued from the sale area at the end of Summer - from a garden center

about 6 years ago.

Many hours were spent this weekend cleaning out the gazebo and other

garden areas. We worked much of Saturday and Sunday in perfect weather

and truly enjoyed it. Yesterday, around 5 pm, on the front porch, still dirty, tired

and thirsty, we nibbled on chips and guacamole, sipping Rosé, watching the

Chickadees coming to feed dinner to their offspring in the little bird house

right above our heads.

Early this morning - when I took these photos - I grabbed my coffee, garden file,

a notebook and pen, and spent a beautiful hour, still in my robe, going through

notes on what needs to be accomplished today and through the remainder of

this week to complete the Spring garden chores prior to indoor Spring

cleaning. . . . . . . . . and then waving goodbye to it all! Yes, a big trip coming

in May!

Growing Zones: 3-8

This plant is recommended for zones: 3-8 (green area above) You are in Growing Zone: 7
Mature Height:	10-12 ft.
Mature Width:	10-12 ft.
Sunlight:	Full to Partial
Drought Tolerance:	Great
Botanical Name:	Viburnum macrocephalum 'Sterile'
Does Not Ship To:	AZ

THE ORIGINAL SNOWBALL BUSH

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'.