Judd viburnum

Judd viburnum: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Rounded, slightly open shrub about 2 m tall and wide, with densely branched twigs.

Leaves

Ovate, 5–10 cm, dull green and slightly downy, opposite; sometimes reddish in autumn before they fall.

Flowers

Domed clusters 6–8 cm across from pink buds, in April–May; the open florets are white with a pink flush.

Scent

Sweet and spicy, especially in mild, still weather; you can smell it from several metres away.

Fruit

Sometimes a few dark berries in late summer, but not conspicuous.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: May–June

Why grow it?

• One of the most fragrant spring shrubs: in April the scent fills a whole corner of the garden.
• Lovely at every stage: first pink buds, then pinkish-white open flowers.
• An early source of food for bees and bumblebees.
• Little pruning and little work; very hardy.
• In autumn the leaves sometimes turn reddish.

Judd viburnum: where does it grow best?

• Full sun to partial shade; it flowers most freely in sun.
• Well-drained, humus-rich sandy, loamy or clay soil, from acid to chalky.
• Ordinary, evenly moist soil: no waterlogging and no bone-dry sand.
• A spot sheltered from cold east winds spares the early flowers on frosty nights.
• Allow 1.5–2 m and plant it near a path, door or patio for the scent.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

2 m tall, 2 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Daffodils: They flower at the same time at its feet in April.
• Lenten rose: Flowers early and fills the base in partial shade.
• Lungwort: Blue and pink flowers and spotted leaves in spring.
• Forget-me-not: A blue haze beneath the pinkish-white flowers.
• Hardy geranium: Takes over after flowering with summer flowers.

Judd viburnum: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or October–November.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in some compost.
3. Set the shrub at the same depth as it was in its pot; on a grafted plant, keep the graft union just above the soil.
4. Firm the soil and water in thoroughly.
5. Mulch with leaf mould and water during dry spells in the first year.

Care

Watering

Regularly in the first year; after that during long dry spells, especially in summer when next year’s buds are forming.

Feeding

A little compost or organic fertiliser for flowering shrubs in March.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould keeps the soil cool and moist.

Suckers

Grafted plants sometimes produce shoots from the rootstock at the base, with different leaves. Remove them as low as possible.

Cut stems

A few flowering twigs in a vase smell wonderful indoors.

Tip: Plant it by the front door, a path or the patio: in April and May you will enjoy the scent every day. It needs little pruning, so simply let it grow.

Judd viburnum: when to prune it?

Pruning months: May–June.

When: Little pruning is needed. If necessary, do it straight after flowering, in May–June.

How:

• Remove dead, damaged and crossing stems.
• Cut over-long or awkward stems back to a side branch.
• Every few years take out an old stem at the base to keep the shrub young.

Caution: Do not prune in winter or early spring: the flower buds are already waiting at the tips of the twigs.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Softwood cuttings

In June take 8–10 cm cuttings from young shoots and root them in moist compost under plastic in a light, warm place. Not always easy: take several.

Layering

In spring peg a low stem into the soil; after a year sever it and replant.

Judd viburnum: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy to about −30 °C: the shrub needs no protection.
• Late frosts can brown the open flowers; a sheltered spot helps.
• In a large pot: wrap the pot in hessian during hard frost and stand it against a wall.

Diseases and pests

• Aphids: Curled leaves at the shoot tips in spring. Natural predators usually deal with them; otherwise spray them off with water.
• Viburnum beetle: Leaves riddled with holes by the larvae and small beetles in May–June. Pick off the larvae and in winter snip off only twig tips with rows of eggs.
• Browned flowers: Caused by late frost or cold wind. Choose a sheltered spot; the shrub itself will recover.
• Suckers: Shoots with different leaves at the base of a grafted plant. Remove them as low as possible.

Through the year

• January: Rest. Look for viburnum beetle eggs in the twig tips.
• March: Plant. Add compost or organic fertiliser.
• April: Flowering starts: scent and bees. Plant.
• May: Flowering. Trim lightly after flowering if needed.
• June: Prune if necessary. Take softwood cuttings.
• July: Water in dry weather: next year’s buds are forming.
• August: Water during long dry spells.
• October: Plant. Sometimes autumn colour.
• November: Plant. Leaf fall.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• It is named after William Judd, a propagator at the Arnold Arboretum in the United States, who made the cross around 1920.
• Viburnums used to be placed in the honeysuckle family; today they have a family of their own, the Viburnaceae.