European Snowball Viburnum has been produced in Europe since the 16th century and is one of the most recognized of the viburnums. The shrub can grow to 12 feet tall with a 12-15 foot spread and a dense rounded crown. In May it produces large clusters of sterile green flowers that mature to white and then pink. They make good cut flowers and no fruits are produced. The leaves are maple-tree shaped and have reddish-orange fall color. This shrub prefers moist well-drained loams but is tolerant of other soils in full sun to partial shade. Use in the shrub border, as a foundation plant, a specimen, or as a hedge. Quick ID OPPOSITE, 4-5 lobed, toothed, maple-like leaves Prominent, concave, disk-like glands on petiole Persistent linear stipules HUGE white, snowball-shaped spring inflorescence Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases. More information on Viburnum opulus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 12 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Mounding; Multi-stemmed; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Lobed; Serrate
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Soft green leaves are opposite, simple, 3-5 lobed, lobes acute, truncate, coarsely toothed; narrowly grooved petioles with large disk-like, concave glands; persistent linear stipules. Fall color is orange-red
Fall color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Green; Pink; White
Flower value
Good Cut; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The inflorescence is a globose cluster (cyme) up to 4 inches across. Individual 1 inch sterile flowers are green to white, aging to light pink. Blooms in May
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit detail
Flowers are sterile so no fruits produced
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray
Bark detail
Gray-brown waxy bark
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Stem is light gray-brown, ribbed.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe
Attracts
Butterflies
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Lawn
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden
Design feature
Border; Foundation Planting; Hedge; Screen/Privacy