Walter's Viburnum

Once again, the Walter's Viburnum is blooming in the Historic Tree Grove, and drawing gasps of admiration from everyone who sees it. The tiny, snowy white flowers on the huge banks of shrubs are a true sign of spring in the MOSI Gardens.

Walter’s Viburnum (Viburnum obovatum), also known as small-leafed viburnum, is a Florida native that can be grown as a large shrub or a small tree. Dwarf varieties of viburnum species are also available and make a great dense hedge to edge yards or fences.

The taller Walter’s Viburnum can also make an excellent dense screen for the edge of a property line or as a privacy hedge. Walter’s Viburnum is well suiting to heavy pruning and can be easily trimmed into a formal hedge or topiary.

This species is generally evergreen in the Tampa Bay area and produces a fruit in the fall months that can be an important part of the winter diet of native birds. The dense and twiggy limbs provide a great shelter for nesting birds and the flowers are appealing to small Spring butterflies.

It's interesting to note that during last year's unusually cold winter and spring, the Walter's Viburnum bloomed nearly a month later than usual. It's reassuring to see that spring of 2011 seems to be right on track. The pristine blooms of Walter's Viburnum in February are the precursor of many wonderful blooms in the days and months ahead!