Fragrant snowball | The Morton Arboretum

Family (English) Elderberry
Family (botanic) Adoxaceae
Tree or plant type Shrub
Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native locale Non-native
Size range Large shrub (more than 8 feet)
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7
Soil preference Acid soil, Alkaline soil, Moist, well-drained soil
Tolerances Alkaline soil, clay soil, Occasional drought, Road salt
Season of interest early spring, mid spring, early summer, midsummer, late summer, early fall, mid fall
Flower color and fragrance Fragrant, Pink, White
Shape or form Multi-stemmed, Round, Upright, Vase-shaped
Growth rate Moderate

Size & Form:

Fragrant snowball is a large rounded shrub reaching 6 to 10 feet high and 6 to 8 feet wide.

Native geographic location and habitat:

This is a hybrid originated in England and is a cross between V. carlesii and V. macrocephalum var. keteleeri.

Attracts birds and butterflies:

Birds and butterflies are attracted to this shrub.

Bark color and texture:

Its bark is light brown to gray.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:

Leaves are opposite, 4 to 5 inch long, and rounded with wavy margins. The leaves are dark green with a slight luster in summer changing to reddish-purple in the fall.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size:

Very fragrant, large white flowers are arranged in dense, lumpy, snowball-like clusters (cymes) 3 to 5 inches wide. They bloom in late April to early May. This is the last of the semi-snowball, fragrant viburnums to bloom in spring.

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions:

Its fruit are sparse, berrylike drupes that ripen to black. Fruit is not particularly abundant or showy. For better fruiting potential, plant more than one plant.