Evergreen or semi-e.g. viburnums for shade zones 4-7

15 years ago

I have 5 locations where, after much research, I've finally decided viburnums will probably work best. The soil is sandy with about 6" of top soil, the shade is filtered all day under oak trees, 2 locations are very close to a wetlands, and the others are dry. The ones on the dry location will get the SW winter winds. I need something to screen houses in 2 directions. I already planted 5 Capitata yews and 4 Canadian hemlocks to block the worst part of the view, but still would like some more screening of a different sort. There are several viburnums growing naturally on other parts of the lot, but they are deciduous.

Does anyone have experience with burkwood, Chicago lustre, willowood, or allegheny to know if they would meet my criteria? Others? How will they look under the conditions I've described? I realize they would not be very dense with no direct sun for 5 months, but would they look bad? Would I be better off sticking with the deciduous varieties, or might serviceberry work better?

I'd appreciate any help you can give me!

Anne

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Comments (8)

gardenscout
15 years ago
Consider Viburnum Prague. It is evergreen with dark glossy, textured foliage. Easy to ground layer too, if you need to add more plants. Has been fairly fast growing for me, and they add so much to the year-round structure of my gardens. I wouldn't be without it. Wish I knew which pollinator it needs so I might get some berries going on.

Here is a link that might be useful: Viburnum Prague
laceyvail 6A, WV
15 years ago
V. 'Allegheny' is semi-evergreen in zone 6 in a warmish winter; I doubt it would be in zone 5. Nice plant though; 'Mohican' works as a pollinator for it.
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Hmm, this forum sure is quiet, LOL! I guess we're all in our gardens........In addition to the viburnum tinus "Spring Bouquet" mentioned above, how about viburnum tinus "Spirit"? And pieris japonica "Flaming Silver"? "Spirit" is also evergreen, but supposedly a little smaller than the other variety. Any experience with either? I've never had viburnum in my garden so am curious about how these two behave in 'real life' in Zone 7. My neighbors have lots of pieris but not "Flaming Silver" which has slightly variegated leaves and is supposedly in the 5' high range at maturity......Anyone have this one? If so, what do you think of it? Thanks!
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misslucinda
15 years ago
Viburnum rhytidophyllum is apparently both evergreen and tolerant of shade.

Here is a link that might be useful: Leatherleaf viburnum
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
15 years ago
Leatherleaf doesn't keep its leaves all winter even in a relatively mild winter. It also looks awful during the winter before it loses them.
pops_2008
15 years ago
Viburnum x rhytidocarpum is an outstanding plant. Dirr does not rate it highly in his newest and outstanding book on Viburnums. Yet we have found it to rival V. x pragense. It is full, dense, and grass green in leaf color. A vigorous grower needing a lot of space in semi-shade. It blends well with our other specimens of Viburnum: 'Alleghany' and V. lantana 'varigatum' and V. rhytidophyllum 'Cree.'
jimandanne_mi
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you all for your responses. I've been researching the info you've given me, but am now more uncertain than before. Since there are so many kinds of viburnums, and since there's such variation in leaves, blooms, size, etc., I've decided to do nothing for 2 of the locations this year. Instead, I will go to a nursery every month that carries about a dozen varieties and observe how the leaves look. In the spring, I'll try to determine which ones bloom or leaf out the earliest. I'm going to take notes, since I keep forgetting which is which!

I did decide to get another Canadian hemlock for one of the locations. The location by the wetlands seems to already have some viburnums that are gradually filling in the area I'd wanted to plant, so time may solve this problem, at least for during the summer. Another location seems to be filling in with serviceberries. We've been so busy building the house and getting rid of unwanted trees, that I'd been ignoring the underbrush, thinking it was all black cherry seedlings, which we have a gazillion of.

So I'll keep looking at the viburnums until next spring and then decide the other 2.

BTW, I found a couple of websites that list a lot of good info about some viburnums. The U of Illinois site has pictures. The Ohio State site also tells you the good and the bad of each viburnum! I don't know how to list 2 links, so here's the U of Illinois one--http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/shrubselector/search.cfm

Anne

Here is a link that might be useful: OSU link to plant facts, including shrubs
Cat
8 years ago
there's another site that says viburnum burkwood is semi evergreen in zone 6 and I have one so I guess we'll find out
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
8 years ago
V. burkwoodii retains very few if any leaves here on the cold end of zone 5.

Evergreen or semi-e.g. viburnums for shade zones 4-7

Comments (8)

gardenscout

laceyvail 6A, WV

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misslucinda

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)

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Evergreen or semi-e.g. viburnums for shade zones 4-7

Comments (8)

gardenscout

laceyvail 6A, WV

Related Discussions

misslucinda

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)

pops_2008

jimandanne_miOriginal Author

Cat

NHBabs z4b-5a NH

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CONNECT WITH US

jimandanne_mi
Original Author