By Julie Christensen
Blackhaw viburnum ( Viburnum prunifolium ) is one of those low - criminal maintenance trees that you could put in the ground and count on to thrive . aboriginal to the easterly and primal United States , blackhaw viburnum tolerates most soil types , so long as the grease is well - draining . It has an open , multi - stemmed pattern and greenish blood-red foliage that becomes deep red or purple in the fall . Blackhaw viburnum also has attractive white , lacey blossom in the spring , follow by eatable purplish berries in the fall .
Planting Blackhaw Viburnum Trees
Blackhaw viburnum boom in U.S. Department of Agriculture flora hardiness zones 3 through 9 , meaning that it can be mature in most part of the U.S. It ’s widely available at nurseries and garden centers . Blackhaw is usually grow as a multi - stemmed shrub , although it can be trained as a unmarried luggage compartment tree diagram . It uprise up to 15 feet tall and 12 fundament wide , so choose a spacious place for this long - lived bush to spread .
rectify the soil with compost or manure before found to improve drainage . Blackhaw tolerates both sun and partial shade , although it will bloom better in full sun . Plant blackhaw outdoors in spring or early fall for good consequence . H2O the grease well immediately after planting .
Growing Blackhaw Viburnum
Blackhaw viburnum is a picnic to grow . fertilise it in the spring with ½ cup 10 - 10 - 10 granular fertilizer , spread out in a 3 - foot circle around the base of the shrub . Although blackhaw is reasonably drouth tolerant , it does well if watered from time to time . H2O every week or so during dry conditions and mulch the soil with Grant Wood chip or bark to conserve moisture .
The blank flowers typically come along from late spring to early summer , depending on your mood , followed by berries that ripen from pinkish to purple over the course of the season . If you call for to prune blackhaw viburnum , prune it immediately after it blooms . This shrub ’s flower take shape on one - year onetime wood , and it start grow the bud for the come twelvemonth shortly after blooming .
Blackhaw viburnum has an irregular , slightly mounding shape and does n’t need a mass of pruning . In most case , it ’s unspoilt to let it take its natural form . Prune only to take away dead or pathological forest or canes that are rub against each other . you may also prune the tips back slightly if necessary to curb growth . rabid pruning will encourage suckering and lots of upright canes .
Flickr Creative Commons photo courtesy of John B.
Pests and Diseases
Blackhaw genus Viburnum rarely suffer from insect or disease problem , although it is prone to rot in soggy soils . Good drainage can preclude that . In humid climates , you might occasionally acknowledge powdery mould , but healthy shrubs can fend off most diseases .
Use
Blackhaw viburnum plant en masse makes a fine privacy hedgerow if you have the way , but it is more often grown as a specimen plant life or placed in a mixed bed . The prime appeal bees in the spring and Bronx cheer love the berries in the pin . The Charles Edward Berry - like drupes are edible for humans too . Their slightly acerb flavor is tamed through cookery , so they ’re unremarkably reserved for electronic jamming and preserves .
Substitutions
hazard are , blackhaw viburnum will grow beautifully in your yard . If not , though , you ’ll find over 150 viburnum species . There ’s sure to be one that fit out your horticulture needs . Below is a round - up of a few other viburnums deserving trying .
For more information on viburnums , visit the following link :
Viburnum are Versatile Shrubsfrom Fine GardeningViburnum prunifoliumfrom the Missouri Botanical Garden
Blackhaw genus Viburnum treeon YouTube .
Julie Christensen learned about garden on her grandad ’s farm and female parent ’s vegetable garden in southern Idaho . Today , she be and gardens on the high plains of Colorado . When she ’s not dig in the dirt , Julie writes about food , education , parenting and horticulture .
