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A Viburnum Garden
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Viburnums are true stars in both garden and landscape by virtue of their outstanding foliage, flowers, berries, and, in some species and varieties, wonderfully fragrant flowers.
This marvelous Botanical Center garden was created in 2008 and today displays 150 viburnum varieties representing 20 species.
Created by Dr. Bill Roston and maintained by the Friends of the Garden volunteer organization, the Garden is designed to ensure year-round appeal featuring mid-spring-to-late-summer flowers, fragrance, autumn color, and winter bark and berries.
Viburnums also provide great variety in size and shape, taking such forms as ball, pyramidal, doublefile, and layered. The berries are excellent food for birds, and some berries, such as those of the variety 'Cardinal Candy,' are especially showy.
Plans for the future of this remarkable garden call for adding new cultivars as they become available, with the continuing goal of allowing visitors to see the best viburnums for the landscape and for providing strong visual interest in the home garden.
The Viburnum Garden is one of 27 botanical gardens in Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park, 2400 S. Scenic in Springfield, Missouri.
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Enlarge photo | | American Cranberry Viburnum
The American Cranberry Viburnum (Viburnum opulus var. americanum, formerly Viburnum trilobum), native to northeastern North America, can reach 8-10 feet in height and width. It bears flat white flower clusters up to 3 inches wide, followed by brilliant red berries that provide winter food for birds. The berries, which are extremely sour, have been used to make jams and jellies since Colonial times. The plant thrives in sun or partial shade and leaves may turn purple-red in autumn. Common names include American Cranberrybush.
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| European Cranberry Viburnum
 The European Cranberry Viburnum (Viburnum opulus) is an upright shrub thatt produces an abundance of exceptionallly attractive, rounded clusters of white flowers in May and brilliant red berries  and bright red foliage in the fall. It does well in either sun or partial shade and can grow to 12 feet tall with a 10-foot spread. Virtually spectacular in the garden or landscape, it also attracts birds but is not attractive to deer. The berries are said to be less palatable than those of American Cranberry. Common names include Guelder Rose, European Cranberrybush, European Cranberry Bush, and European Cranberrybush Viburnum.
| 'Kern's Pink' Viburnum
 One of the loveliest of all the Viburnums,  'Kern's Pink' (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum 'Kern's Pink') features bronze-tinged foliage and delicate, soft-pink flowers in May. In full sun or partial shade it can grow to 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. In time some flower clusters will be pink, some white, and others mixed pink and white.
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Enlarge photo | | 'Shasta' Viburnum
'Shasta' Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosus 'Shasta') is one of the viburnums commonly referred to as "doublefile" viburnums, so termed because their large, flat-topped flower clusters appear in a single file on each side of the branch. Easy to grow and dramatic in the landscape, it can reach 12-15 feet tall with a similar spread. Common names include Shasta Doublefile Viburnum and Japanese Snowball Bush. Note: 'Shasta' Viburnum was developed by horticulturist Donald Egolf of the U.S. National Arboretum, who developed some 60 valued ornamental plants before losing his life in an auto accident in 1990.
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Enlarge photo | | Prague Viburnum
Prague Viburnum (Viburnum x pragense) is an exceptionally beautiful evergreen Viburnum with extremely attractive glossy green foliage and, in late spring, clusters of pink buds that open into pristine white flowers. Very easy to grow, it does well in full sun or partial shade. It grows in a nicely rounded habit, and rather quickly, to 10 feet tall and as wide. This one is a superb addition to the garden or landscape.and also makes an outstanding evergreen hedge or windbreak.
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Enlarge photo | | 'Emerald Triumph' Viburnum
'Emerald Triumph' Viburnum (Viburnum lantana 'Emerald Triumph') is a special prize in the garden or landscape for its glossy deep-green foliage, abundant, creamy white, flot-topped flowers, red berries after flowering that turn black in fall, and deep purple autumn foliage. Extremely easy to grow, in full sun or part shade this deciduous Viburnum can grow to 8 feet tall with a similar spread.
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| 'Lanarth' Viburnum
 'Lanarth' Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Lanarth') is an exceptionally beautiful deciduous doublefile Viburnum with bright green foliage and beautiful white flowers that are  larger than usual and arranged on tiered horizontal branches. In sun or partial shade it can grow to 10 feet tall with a spread of 12 feet. In fall the leaves turn purple to burgundy. Common names include Lanarth Doublefile Viburnum and Japanese Snow Ball Bush.
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Enlarge photo | | 'Mariesii' Viburnum
'Mariesii' Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Mariesii') is another deciduous doublefile Viburnum. It features rich green foliage, large white flowers in flat clusters along horizontal branches, and bright red berries that mature to black. The autumn foliage is reddish-purple. Easy to grow, in sun to part shade it grows quickly and in time can reach 12 feet tall with a 15-foot spread. Common names include Mariesii Viburnum.
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Enlarge photo | | Snowball Viburnum
This Snowball Viburnum may be Viburnum opulus 'Roseum', a European native and a garden favorite since the 16th Century, or it may be the "fragrant snowball", Viburnum x carlcephalum. In any event, any Viburnum with a common name that includes "Snowball," and there are several, is a marvel for an amazing profusion of large, puffy, pristine-white blossoms. If this is the European plant. in full sun to part shade it can grow to 12 feet tall and as wide. If it's the fragrant plant, it can grow to 9 feet and as wide.
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Enlarge photo | | 'Flavum' Viburnum
Viburnum 'Flavum' (Viburnum
sargentii 'Flavum') features white flowers and in the fall the
green foliage turns vivid bronze-to-reddish and the flowers give way to
clear yellow fruit. Tough and easy to grow, it can reach 12-15 feet tall
with the same spread.
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Enlarge photo | | 'Onondaga' Viburnum
'Onondaga' Viburnum (Viburnum sargentii 'Onondaga') features remarkably attractive foliage as well as beautiful flowers. New leaves are a bronze purple when they first appear, the summer leaves are dark green with maroon blushes at the edges, and the autumn leaves take on red and gold tones. The flowers appear in late spring as maroon buds in very flat clusters and open from the edges white to pink, creating a very striking effect. Easy to grow, it can in time rise to 12 feet with a 10-foot spread.
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