Horticulture Magazine

Viburnum Davidii ‘David Viburnum’

close up of the white leaves of vibernum davidii
By CHRIS LEE
Chris Lee, MA - Gardening Writer

Chris is a gardening writer and nature enthusiast. He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2022 with an MA in Psychology. Chris works with the Leeds Green Action Society, helping their food cooperative by growing various fruit and vegetables on their two allotments in Hyde Park, Leeds.

/ Updated August 29th, 2023
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY

Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.

/ Meets Our Editorial Guidelines
Contributions From GARY LADMAN
Gary Ladman, Co-Owner of Classic Viburnums

With 52 years of experience working in horticulture, Gary Ladman is the Co-Owner of specialist plant nursery Classic Viburnums, which is based in Nebraska in the US. Gary has a degree in Horticulture and breeds many Viburnum cultivars with his wife Sue.

Viburnum davidii is a type of evergreen shrub that has very distinctive glossy leaves and white flowers.

Adding Viburnum to your garden is a great way to add visual interest and it integrates well with other plants and shrubs.

Growing this shrub in your garden is quite simple – if you plant in early spring, then you’ll be able to enjoy the full benefit of their stunning blooms by the time summer comes around.

They can tolerate shade quite well, so you don’t need to worry about finding the perfect spot either.

Overview

Botanical NameViburnum davidii
Common Name(s)David Viburnum
Plant TypeShrub
Native AreaWestern China
Hardiness RatingH5
FoliageEvergreen, deep green leathery leaves
FlowersDull white flowers followed by vivid berries
When To SowFebruary, March, October, November
Flowering MonthsMay, June
Sunlight

Preferred
Full Shade / Partial Shade

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered

Size

Height
1 – 1.5M

Spread
1 – 1.5M

Bloom Time
May – June

Soil

Preferred
Most Soil Types

Moisture
Moist but well drained

pH
Any

Viburnum davidii is native to western China, can grow up to 1.5m tall and has oval-shaped leaves and clusters of small white flowers.1Viburnum davidii. (n.d.). Oregon State University. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/viburnum-davidii

How To Grow Viburnum

When planting viburnum shrubs, if possible you should choose a spot that receives plenty of sunlight.

Some varieties are tolerant of partial shade, but in general, Viburnum are sun-loving plants.

You should also make sure that the soil is well-drained to prevent issues caused by waterlogging.

“Viburnums do not like wet feet or soil that does not drain for long periods of time,” says Gary.

Viburnum davidii with glossy green leaves and clustered white flowers

“If you are faced with this and you don’t want to provide subsurface drainage, plant your viburnums with the root ball elevated above the soil surface.

This can be achieved by first digging the planting hole deeper than the root ball to encourage drainage, then placing the soil back in the hole to the desired planting depth, leaving half of the root ball exposed above the existing soil surface.

“Finish backfilling by mounding soil around the exposed portion of the root ball and sloping it away from the base of the plant so that water will run away from the planting hole.  

“One very important precaution when planting using this method is to make sure that when you replace the over-excavated soil back in the hole, you lightly tamp it so that when you water your plant it does not settle.”

Good ventilation is essential if you want your plants to thrive and avoid potential issues with fungal diseases.

Planting

This being the case, you should plant them roughly 10-15 meters apart.

Once you have found a good spot, you should dig a hole that’s big enough to accommodate the entire root ball.

Position the plant and fill the hole with soil; be sure to water it well immediately after planting and continue to water it at least once a week for the first six months.

The best time to plant would be in the spring or autumn – both these times of year will give your plants the ideal conditions to become established, by gifting them a good mix of sunlight and rain.

Viburnum davidii is dioecious, meaning that it has separate male and female plants,” explains Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant.

“If you want to enjoy their attractive blue berries, make sure you select your plants in the autumn as the males will be berry-less. Choose male plants as well as females to ensure fertilisation.”

Viburnum Care

V. davidii plants need a good amount of exposure to the sun in order to flower at their best.

leaves and tiny early flowers of V. davidii

They will need to be watered regularly while they’re establishing themselves.

It’s a good idea to use mulch to help the soil retain moisture.

V. davidii doesn’t typically require a specific type of soil to do well and providing the soil is not overly saturated, they will be fine.

If you want to use a fertiliser with your plants, then spring would be the best time.

Pruning Guidelines

V. davidii shrubs don’t need too much pruning, outside of removing dead leaves or damaged branches.

If you notice that branches are becoming a little too dense, then it’s not a bad idea to prune them to improve air circulation.

Good air circulation will mean your plants grow better and lessen the risk of disease.

tree loppers being used to prune branches of a winter viburnum shrub

Although pruning generally isn’t necessary for V. davidii to grow well, you can prune young plants if you want to shape them.

Pinching out the sides of young plants will enable you to create a balanced look without causing any harm to them.

Propagation

There are a couple of good ways to propagate viburnum shrubs:

Taking Cuttings

Using cuttings is a quick and easy way to propagate new plants from an existing Viburnum – with early summer being the best time to take cuttings.

Be sure to take your cuttings from new growth that hasn’t yet flowered and ensure you only take from plants that are well watered.

Place your cuttings in a container with good-quality compost and lightly water them.

They will need some light, but it’s not recommended to keep them in direct sunlight – using a propagator would be ideal.

The cuttings should become established and show signs of new growth in 5-10 weeks.

Layering

Layering is a very easy way of propagating viburnum and simply means taking a stem from an existing plant and encouraging it to form its own roots.

There are a few ways to accomplish this, but we’ll look at the simplest here.

blue fruit on a viburnum davidii shrub

Check the outside of your plants for stems that can be bent to the soil level.

You should then make a small incision in the stem and bury it in the soil – you can use a large rock or brick to rest it on the stem and keep it buried in the soil.

Everything being well, this stem should form its own roots in 1-2 months.

Once it’s well established, you can then transplant it elsewhere in your garden, so it has room to flourish.

Common Problems

Viburnum plants tend to be problem-free.

However, when they’re grown in less-than-ideal conditions or when they’re first becoming established, certain diseases and pests can affect them in their vulnerable state.

Here are a few of the most common:

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a type of fungal disease that affects countless plants.

Plants that develop this issue will have a coating of white fungus on their leaves that is similar in appearance to powder (hence the name).

Powdery mildew usually affects young viburnum, especially when they’re grown in humid conditions.

Thankfully, there are effective ways to prevent and treat it – most importantly, you should take care when watering plants, so water doesn’t splash onto the leaves unnecessarily.

For any plants that already have powdery mildew on them, you can use a fungicidal spray.

Preventing and treating powdery mildew can also help with the prevention of leaf spot.

Leaf Beetles

Leaf beetles are a relatively new problem for viburnum plants and can be a real nuisance since they can very easily destroy the leaves of plants they infest.

If you notice leaf beetles on your plants, then you should take steps to remove them immediately.

feeding damage on the leaves of a Viburnum plant by leaf beetles

You can often spot their larvae first and simply pruning any leaves where they’re present can be a good way to stop them from spreading further.

Companion planting and introducing plants that attract predatory insects can be useful as ladybirds and other insects can help deal with the issue naturally.

FAQs

Are Vibernum davidii Deer Resistant?

Yes. V. davidii plants are deer resistant, so if you live in the countryside and deer are around, you don’t have to worry about them damaging your plants.

When Should I Hard Prune Viburnum davidii?

Usually, they only require light pruning throughout the year, but there are cases when you might need to hard prune your viburnum shrubs.

Any shrubs that are particularly overgrown can be cut back.

gardener using blue tree loppers to cut back the exterior branches of a viburnum

If you do need to hard prune a viburnum plant, then you’ll need to do it in early autumn at the latest.

This is because the plant will need to develop some new growth in order to survive the winter.

References

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