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Ask a Gardening QuestionBeginner Gardening Questions & Guides: First time gardener questionsCan I salvage this Viburnum plant …

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Can I salvage this Viburnum plant?

#1 · 3rd January 2023, 8:09 pm

I am very new to gardening, I have just moved into a property and the garden is a project garden. . I would love advice about this plant..Am I right in guessing this is a viburnum?. I wanted to try and save it but not sure how as it is very neglected as to the rest of the garden. It has a lot of old growth at the bottom and it's quite woody, I only noticed it recently as it has gained some lovely white flowers. They are pretty to see this time of year. I would love some advice on what I can do with it and try and save it if I can, it would be sad to dig it out. Would love to know your thoughts Many thanks x ps I hope I have attached the photo correctly 🙂

Uploaded files:

#2 · 4th January 2023, 2:33 pm

Hi @flowerangel1

Many thanks for the picture. Could you add a few more close-ups of the flower so I can identify this possible Viburnum and then advise?

Just reply to this message and upload some close-ups.

Many thanks!

Lee

FlowerAngel1 has reacted to this post.

#3 · 4th January 2023, 3:28 pm

Hi Lee

Thank you so much for your reply. I have attached a couple of close ups for you. I hope the pictures are clear enough for you to identify. Your help is very much appreciated 🙂

Uploaded files:

Lee Garden Ninja has reacted to this post.

#4 · 5th January 2023, 10:15 am

Hi @flowerangel1

Thanks for the additional pictures.

This winter flowering shrub certainly looks like a Viburnum × bodnantense which is also sometimes known as Arrowwood.

This particular Viburnum is a hybrid (hence the X in between the Genus and the Species), showing its been crossbred. This Viburnum hybrid originates from a cross between Viburnum farreri and Viburnum grandiflorum made by Charles Puddl. Who was the head gardener to Lord Aberconway at Bodnant Garden, Wales in 1935. Hence the name Bodnantense is the chosen identifier.

The good news is they respond well to pruning.

How to prune a Viburnum bodnantense:

With winter flowering shrubs like this Viburnum, always prune them in early spring after they have finished flowering. As soon as the last flowers have faded give it a tidy up, cutting back to the next set of healthy buds down. You can watch this in my pruning guide tutorials here.

With all that old crossing dead wood I'd take most of that out to the ground once it finishes flowering to open it up. Then each year bit by bit renovate by lightly pruning this shrub. It's certainly worth saving!