Chinese Evergreen Viburnum is an evergreen shrub native to the forested areas of China and the Philippines with a compact rounded habit growing 4-8 feet tall and wide. It has shiny leathery leaves and somewhat showy clusters of greenish-white flowers but it shows off in the fall and winter with its burgundy leaves and blue-black fruits. The fruits attract songbirds. It may be semievergreen in the northernmost part of its growing range. Plant in average, moist, well-drained acidic soils in full sun to partial shade. in hot summer climates, it will appreciate some afternoon shade. Use as a hedge, foundation plant or in the shrub border. 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 .
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
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Mounding; Rounded
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblanceolate
Leaf margin
Crenate; Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
2-3.5 inch long and .75-1.25 inches wide deep green leathery glossy elliptic to oblanceolate 3 veined leaves. Base is wedge-shaped or rounded, pointed tips, shallowly and sparsely toothed. Burgundy fall and winter color.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Green; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme; Umbel
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Greenish white flowers appear late spring on 2-3 inch wide umbel-like cymes.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Blue
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Glossy egg-shaped drupes turn blue-black in the fall and persist into winter.
Bark color
Dark Gray
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
New growth is shiny red-brown with conspicuous lenticels turning gray after the first year.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia
Wildlife value
Birds enjoy the fruits.
Attracts
Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Woodland
Landscape theme
Winter Garden
Design feature
Border; Foundation Planting; Hedge
Garden tags
#winter color red #foundation planting #evergreen shrub #showy fruits #border planting #fruits fall #fall color red #fall interest #glossy leaves #winter interest #leathery leaves #evergreen #food source fall #bird friendly #food source winter #hedge #wildlife friendly #woodland #shrub border #bat friendly #moth friendly