Evergreen viburnum rounds off its exotic, opulent appearance with undemanding frugality. Only a few care measures are required for the glossy green foliage, the lavish winter blooms and the dark blue fruit to unfold to perfection. The following answers to frequently asked questions sum up all the relevant details.
Plant Viburnum tinus correctly
Outdoors, plant a Mediterraneansnowball in a sunny, warm and sheltered location. Choose a mild day between mid and late May to thoroughly loosen the humus-rich, nutrient-rich soil. The planting pit is about twice the size of the root ball. Add compost, horn shavings and a little sand to the excavation. Position the potted young plant in the planting hole in such a way that the root ball ends flush with the surface. After the pit has been filled with the enriched substrate, compact and water the soil. A layer of mulch made of leaves, lawn clippings or bark mulch keeps the soil warm and moist for longer.
care tips
An evergreen snowball owes its popularity not least to the following, uncomplicated care program:
- Keep the soil constantly slightly moist all year round with occasional drying
- outdoor shrubs fertilize with compost in March/April and June/July
- Give a liquid fertilizer in the bucket every 14 days from March to September
- Slight topiary if needed immediately after flowering, including thorough thinning
Without careful winter protection, an evergreen snowball rarely comes through the cold season unscathed. Put a breathable fleece hood over the ornamental tree and cover the substrate with leaves, straw or needle brushwood. Additionally, wrap the bucket with foil and slide a block of wood under it.
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Which location is suitable?
Evergreen viburnum pleases us with a high site tolerance. The Mediterranean ornamental tree thrives in full sun to semi-shade. A warm, sheltered location in a mild wine-growing climate is advantageous, with the shrub benefiting from its extreme heat tolerance. Spreads in well-drained soil, humus-rich and moderately dry to freshly moist Viburnum tinus likes to root out.
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What soil does the plant need?
Outdoors, an evergreen viburnum prefers fresh, nutrient-rich and humus-rich soil. A sandy-loamy soil with first-class drainage meets the requirements perfectly. For cultivation in a bucket, we recommend a high-quality, structurally stable compost-based substrate. Don't buy peat-rich products, as these are not suitable for the long-term care of the slow-growing Mediterranean snowball.
What is the best planting time?
A viburnum grown in the container can be planted in the bucket at any time of the year. For outdoor cultivation, we recommend spring as the optimal planting time. When there are no longer any frosty nights to be expected from the beginning/mid-May, the Mediterranean snowball finds the best conditions to take root firmly until winter.
When is flowering time?
The type of cultivation largely determines the flowering period. If an evergreen viburnum thrives in the sheltered ambience of the conservatory, it puts on its magnificent flower dress between November and February. If the ornamental tree is in the limelight in the garden or on the balcony, the numerous buds open between January and April, depending on the weather conditions.
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Pruning viburnum tinus correctly
The rounded, compact crown is naturally produced by an evergreen viburnum. The task of the gardener consists only in maintaining the shape and regularly thinning out. How to do it right:
- Put on gloves to avoid skin contact with the poisonous plant sap
- Shorten shoots that are too long immediately after flowering
- Set the scissors just above an outward leaf knot
- Cut off dead branches at the base
Give a Mediterranean Snowball 2 to 3 years to develop its natural silhouette before trimming for the first time. Due to the slow growth, a topiary is only necessary every few years anyway. Individual, protruding shoots can be cut off at any time. In contrast, thorough thinning out after the flowering period is part of the annual agenda in the care program.
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Water viburnum tinus
In the best case, the water balance is based on a slightly damp substrate with intermittent drying of the surface. Water a bay viburnum only when the soil in the top 1-2 cm feels dry to the touch. Avoid the formation of waterlogging, as the ornamental tree reacts with root rot.
Fertilize Viburnum tinus properly
An evergreen viburnum outdoors receives an organic fertilizer such as compost, bark humus, horn shavings or guano granules in March/April and June/July. In pot culture, we recommend applying liquid fertilizer for flowering shrubs every 2 weeks from March to September.
hibernate
In mild, sheltered locations, an evergreen snowball gets through the cold season healthy with winter protection. This applies both to the field and to the bucket. With these precautions you will do it right:
- Before the first frost, put a breathable fleece over the ornamental shrub
- Cover the soil and substrate thickly with leaves and brushwood
- Place buckets on wood or Styrofoam in front of the south wall of the house
Where space permits, carry the planter to a bright winter quarters with temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees Celsius. Please keep in mind that the ornamental shrub will continue to evaporate moisture. Water the bed and pot from time to time so that the soil or substrate has a minimum moisture content.
Propagating Viburnum tinus
When an evergreen snowball is in full bloom, take semi-lignified, non-flowering top cuttings 10-15 cm long. Defoliated in the lower part and planted in pots with poor substrate, the shoots root quickly. At the partially shaded, warm window seat, you can take care of the cuttings until next spring. Once a vital root system has developed, repot your youngsters in normal substrate, enriched with a little sand or lava granules. In May, put the young plants outdoors in a sunny, warm location in the permeable, nutrient-rich soil.
Is Viburnum tinus poisonous?
An evergreen viburnum is moderately poisonous in all parts and is therefore unfortunately not suitable for cultivation in the home garden. The blue-black berries are too tempting for curious children to taste. Intentional and unintentional consumption causes typical symptoms of poisoning in humans and animals, such as nausea, vomiting and cramps.
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Beautiful varieties
- Eva Price: Compact dwarf shrub, flowers profusely in a delicate white-pink; ideal for keeping in buckets; 100-200cm
- Purpurea: The variety impresses with green leaves tinged with purple and pink-white umbels of flowers; 150-200cm
- French White: Vigorous evergreen snowball with pure white flowers in late winter; 150-200cm
- Exbury Form: Premium variety with fragrant flowers, glossy leaves and dark fruit decorations; 250-300cm
- Variegatum: Variegated evergreen viburnum with pink buds, white flowers and blue berries; 200-250cm
