No shrub will boost your garden’s beauty like a Viburnum.
When those white clustery flowers bloom, you’ll have a BEAUTIFUL sight to behold. Your garden will go from dull green to stunning colors.
But there are more than 150 viburnum varieties. You may end up with the wrong one if you aren’t careful.
Luckily, you can avoid that with our list below.
We have the most attractive, easiest-to-grow, and most popular types of viburnum to pick from.
Regardless of what you’re looking for – there’s likely a viburnum for you. Check them out!
21 Types of Viburnum Shrubs
#1. Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)
One of the showiest varieties and surely among the most attractive.
The Arrowwood delivers a dense color cover to your garden, bathing your landscape in white when the time comes.
It is a medium-sized shrub, growing up to 10 feet when fully mature. This pairs up well with the full-sun needs, so it rarely gets covered by taller plants.
Yet, it is the ability to withstands harsh temperatures that really sets it apart. The plants can grow in temperatures of -20 degrees Fahrenheit with ease.
ALSO CONSIDER: It produces blueish fruits that work well with the brown of the drying leaves when the fall arrives.
#2. Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium)
Want a tall shrub? Go for the Blackhaw.
It stays at around 5 to 10 feet in its first few years. But when it reaches maturity, the shrub can become a full-blown tree of over 25 feet in height.
As one of the largest within the viburnum species, the Blackhaw requires full sun and prefers temperatures over -10 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can enjoy its white flowers growing from individual stems, generally pointing up.
WORTH KNOWING: You will also find blackberries in the spring, adding to their color and beauty.
#3. Burkwood Viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii)
You may also find it as the Snowball Viburnum, given the snowball-like flowers it produces. Growing in clusters, you can find these flowers to add beauty to any place. But it is not only the beauty but their fragrance that adds up.
It doesn’t grow more than 10 feet and requires temperatures no lower than -10 degrees to thrive.
You may find it challenging to grow indoors, as it requires full sun.
DON’T FORGET THIS: Its flowers tend to be white, but you may also find them in pinkish tones.
#4. Cinnamon-Leaved Viburnum (Viburnum cinnamomifolium)
The name says it all: it has dark-green-to-brownish leaves that combine perfectly with the flowers.
Its blossoms tend to be smaller than the typical viburnum but still vine with the intense white. These flowers, however, tend to turn brownish as they mature, giving the plant such a name.
Don’t think this is a small variety, though. A typical cinnamon-leaved viburnum can reach over 20 feet with ease. And given enough sun, the tree may last decades.
As a growing need, you need to ensure no less than 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It prefers slightly warmer environments than other types.
CURIOUS FACT: The leaves are among the thickest in viburnum varieties, sometimes boasting a blueish hue.
#5. David Viburnum (Viburnum davidii)
You will find it with leaf colors going from dark green to mild coffee brown, making it immediately different from others of its type.
What you’ll find more exciting would be the blueberries, fruits that appear every spring. They match beautifully with the vibrant white flower clusters. When the spring arrives, your garden will boast a beautiful viburnum with the David’s.
You’ll need temperatures no lower than 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily, it rarely grows longer than 5 feet, so you’ll have a sweet shrub to care for.
CONSIDER THIS: Given how small it is, you can grow it as a landscape hedge.
#6. Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus)
Many people call it the Snowball bush for a reason: the ball-like flower clusters boasting a vibrant white are GORGEOUS.
You’ll get one of the most attractive viburnum varieties, especially in blooming season. Along with the cranberry-like fruits it produces, you get twice the attractiveness.
There’s something about this viburnum that stands out: it can grow to over 15 feet. And for that, it requires at least temperatures under -20 degrees Fahrenheit and full-sun exposure.
WHAT ELSE TO KNOW: It is one of the most invasive within the viburnum family, so you can expect it to cover large areas quickly.
#7. Henry’s Viburnum (Viburnum henryi)
One of the most popular given its ability to grow in warm environments, Henry’s viburnum thrives in temperatures as high as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It thrives under partial sun and can reach up to 15 feet.
Its flowers are slightly different than other viburnums, growing in clusters with less density than the typical blossom.
Apart from that, it is a large tree, growing to about 15 feet when fully mature. You can keep it shorter with constant pruning if necessary.
KNOW THIS: Its leaves are dark green when mature but tend to get a reddish tone while growing.
#8. Hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides)
Don’t want a tree-like shrub that stuffs up your garden? Go for the Hobblebush variety, then.
This viburnum grows in a totally different way than other types. You can consider it almost a vine given its little density and traveling branches.
It can reach heights and spreads of up to 12 feet but will rarely be dense. This allows you to add many other plant varieties.
The good thing about it? It still produces those cute white clusters from standalone, drooping branches going to all sides.
Better yet, it grows in slightly warm environments of up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit as long as it receives a decent amount of sun exposure.
GREAT FACT: Red fruits appear in the fall, making a total spectacle.
#9. Japanese Snowball (Viburnum plicatum)
You will find it as the Doublefile viburnum, a variety with drooping flowers and top-facing flower clusters.
It is as beautiful as any other and tends to stay within 8 feet of height. It will thrive in cold and warm places alike as long as it’s exposed to enough sunlight.
In contrast with other viburnums, this one grows in a rounded shape. That makes it a perfect shrubby-like addition to any garden.
WHAT’S BETTER: The plant achieves a reddish tone in the fall and grows ornamental red fruits, getting to an entirely different appearance.
#10. Japanese Viburnum (Viburnum japonicum)
If you prefer dense viburnums, you’ll find the Japanese variety a perfect choice.
Its wide, thick, and shiny leaves tend to grow densely, covering large areas. This goes well with its medium growth capacity, as it often gets to no more than 8 feet. You can consider it an upright shrub for landscape borders.
Like other viburnums, it thrives in slightly cold environments. This one, however, prefers temperatures over 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
ALSO IMPORTANT: Its flower clusters boast tiny white blossoms, adding a cute touch to the garden when spring arrives.
#11. Korean Spice (Viburnum carlesii)
Beautiful is the best word to describe the Viburnum carlesii.
It starts with the gorgeous leaves. A dark-green tone matches with a veiny appearance. These leaves tend to grow straighter than other viburnums, adding up a more symmetric look to the plant.
But if there’s something to love about this variety, that would be the flowers: white-to-pink blossoms with a waxy texture, curled petals, and an exquisite appearance in every way.
It is not a large variety, as it stays within 6 feet most of the time. And it prefers cool environments over warm ones.
TO ADD UP: You can also find bright-red berries in the fall, adding up to its already beautiful image.
#12. Larustinus (Viburnum tinus)
An impossible-to-dismiss sight, the Larustinus is one of the shrubbiest from the viburnum family, growing no larger than 12 feet.
It is an exciting variety because it can grow in temperatures as warm as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet, it can also withstand harsh winters and even bloom through them.
Apart from that, you will love the light-pink flowers and the brownish berries it produces in the fall, growing together to make it an exciting shrub to look at.
TO THINK ABOUT: It is a fast-growing species deemed invasive. It may cover areas of up to 10 feet in spread.
#13. Leatherleaf Viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum)
Its name comes from the thick and leathery appearance of the drooping leaves. They hang from the branches in a drooping demeanor, leaving the top portion of the plant to the vibrant white blossoms.
This one blooms in the spring, with flowers that can last up to the fall. In this season, it starts to produce reddish berries, working together with the leaves and flowers to make it a sight to behold.
Its gothic appearance also has another important part: it can grow to over 15 feet. Given it is in temperatures higher than 0 degrees Fahrenheit and receives full sun, it will thrive.
INTERESTING FACT: It is a fast-spreader covering areas of over 10 feet, so it may be the perfect garden bush.
#14. Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)
As soon as you place your eyes on this viburnum, you’ll know where the name comes from.
The maple-like leaves are among the biggest of the viburnum family. Alongside the size and shape of the leaves, you may also enjoy a reddening when the fall arrives, making it look like a maple even more.
You still get the branded white flowers, growing from drooping stalks that grow almost like a vine.
Given its way of growth and big leaves, this one doesn’t grow larger than 6 feet. And it barely spreads a couple of feet around.
Its lower temperature capacity is about -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
DON’T FORGET: It is one of the most shade-loving varieties, but it also thrives under the sun, so there’s no limit.
#15. Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
For people who live in wildly changing temperatures, the Nannyberry comes as a great choice. You can grow it in temperatures as little as -30 degrees Fahrenheit for a while and up to 30 degrees.
You can still enjoy a decently tall shrub, as it can get to over 15 feet with ease. This matches with the small-tree appearance that likes to spread to the sides.
As for the leaves, they’re typical and not too dense. But they can go from dark green to red and even yellow, depending on the season. And the flowers boast the same white clusters in the spring.
FUN FACT: It produces totally edible red berries that add up to any garden’s value.
#16. Sandankwa Viburnum (Viburnum suspensum)
This is one of the most heat-loving varieties. As such, it prefers environments as warm as 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
As a perennial shrub, it grows no longer than 12 feet high, but it often stays between 5 and 8 feet. It is still a fast-growing variety and can cover large areas quickly.
But its best feature comes from the tubular flower pinnacles, entirely different from other viburnum varieties.
To top it up, you can enjoy the glossy and thick leaves that leave nothing to be desired.
WORTHWHILE FEATURE: It ADORES humid environments and can resist mild drought, so it’s pretty much an all-terrain variety.
#17. Small Viburnum (Viburnum obovatum)
The name comes from the tiny leaves and not from the shrub’s height. In fact, this viburnum can reach a whopping 12 feet with ease, sometimes even larger.
Either way, it has gorgeous white flower clusters and produces cute little berries in the spring. And despite being small leaves, they’re still bright green to add even more beauty.
You may find it ideal for cool areas, mildly warm. It can resist anywhere from 10 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT: The leaves may turn purple in the fall to increase their overall beauty exponentially.
#18. Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum)
A large viburnum variety, the Viburnum odoratissimum can reach heights upwards of 20 feet and spread to over 10 feet.
You can also say it is a fast-growing variety that spreads wildly. And that matches with its wide-leaf foliage, one of the cutest of the viburnum family, given the deep green they boast.
The flowers are shapely uniquely, achieving an orchid-like appearance, extending a bit more than the typical cluster.
MUST KNOW: The berries that appear in the fall are bright red and may turn black when mature, boosting the plant’s appeal.
#19. Tubeflower Viburnum (Viburnum cylindricum)
Few plants respect their names like the tubeflower viburnum does.
Its flowers bloom like others, but they stay for a significant part of their lifespan in a tubular form, still closed. Thus, such a curious name.
But it’s still worth a while because the flower clusters tend to be dense enough and visible. They add up a cute touch to the plant in the spring.
You can still enjoy a large shrub with dark-green and sometimes brown leaves, capable of reaching upwards of 16 feet without problems.
INTERESTING PART: The flowers produce a mild fragrance that adds up to your garden’s appeal.
#20. Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana)
Despite its tree name, it is actually not as large as you may expect. It can reach 15 feet if in the right conditions.
However, the name comes from the upward-growing branches. These stalks make it cover a lot more space upwards and to the sides, adding up to its fast-growing metabolism.
You will obviously enjoy the white-flower pinnacles and the leathery green leaves, working together to make it a gorgeous plant.
And if all that wasn’t enough, you can grow it in cold areas with little to no problem.
CUTE FACT: The flowers boast a yellow stamen that brightens up the clusters even more, adding an extra touch of beauty.
#21. Witherod Viburnum (Viburnum cassinoides)
A humidity-loving variety, the Witherod viburnum LOVES to grow close to swamps, lakes, and rivers.
You will find it in widely different heights, sometimes as small as 5 feet but as high as 15 in some cases.
This one grows more like a shrub than other types, with a circular shape extending mildly to the sides, more than upwards.
Its leaves are dark green with an oval shape, while the flowers form the typical white cluster. These blossoms, however, have large white stamens growing from them, adding a prickly-like appearance.
HAVE IN MIND: This is also a cold-sturdy variety. It thrives in temperatures as low as -30 degrees with no problems.
Conclusion
You have no excuse now!
With so many viburnum varieties to pick from, you will indeed find one that meets every one of your demands.
The plant is easy to grow regardless of the type you go for. And what’s even better, it looks beautiful in either of its colors, sizes, or forms.
So, what are you waiting for? Grow your own viburnum today – you won’t regret it!