Not many shrubs bloom continuously from spring to fall, then end the growing season with bright red fruit and rich, wine-red fall leaves. But Summer Snowflake viburnum does just that." /> Not many shrubs bloom continuously from spring to fall, then end the growing season with bright red fruit and rich, wine-red fall leaves. But Summer Snowflake viburnum does just that." />

CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 02/16/04

Summer Snowflake viburnum offers months of color

Volume XXIX
Number 1
Page 14

By Gary L. Wade
and James T. Midcap
University of Georgia

Not many shrubs bloom continuously from spring to fall, then end the growing season with bright red fruit and rich, wine-red fall leaves. But Summer Snowflake viburnum does just that.

The vibrant, snow-white flowers are showstoppers in the spring landscape. Then, as spring blossoms fade and other plants begin their summer growth phase, Summer Snowflake gears up for an encore performance. It flowers repeatedly throughout the summer and fall, often as late as November.

"It's a great transition plant," says Dottie Myers, an Atlanta landscape architect, "because it blooms when most other shrubs are done."

Planting tips

Summer Snowflake viburnum is a deciduous shrub, so it's best to plant evergreens nearby to mask its winter nudity. Little Gem magnolia, Henry Anise-tree or Japanese cryptomeria, three other Gold Medal winners from years past, are excellent companion plants.

Use Summer Snowflake as a single specimen or in groups of three to five plants for added interest in the landscape. It grows smaller and is more compact than many other viburnums, reaching 4 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity.

If Summer Snowflake viburnum has one flaw, it's a lack of drought tolerance. Water is essential during periods of limited rainfall. Drip irrigation will keep the plant looking its best.

But it's worth it

Summer Snowflake's leaves are opposite, 2 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. It bears flowers in flat clusters 2 to 4 inches wide on top of the branches, giving the plant a layered effect.

Each flower cluster consists of many snow-white outer flowers surrounding a group of inner, less showy flowers. The flowers give way in late summer to clusters of bright-red fruit that fade to black. A wine-red leaf color signals the end to another growing season.

Few pests seem to bother Summer Snowflake viburnum. However, drought and wet feet will cause leaf scorching or dieback.

To look its best

Moist, well-drained soils are essential ingredients for success with Summer Snowflake. A full sun environment is ideal if irrigation can be provided during periods of limited rainfall. A place with morning sun and afternoon shade is OK, too.

Set plants 6 to 8 feet apart to allow them to reach their full potential as shrubs. Wait until they're well established before fertilizing. Then apply two to three light applications of a complete fertilizer, such as 16-4-8, during the growing season.

Prune the plants as needed after spring flowering by thinning excess branches within the canopy. Spring blossoms form on the previous season's growth. Repeat blooms form on new growth.

(Gary Wade and Jim Midcap are Extension Service horticulturists with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

Gary Wade is a Cooperative Extension horticulturist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Jim Midcap is a horticulturist specializing in woody ornamentals with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Jim Midcap
Gary L. Wade
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time to spend more of the holiday with guests, taking time ahead of the day to set expectations can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. CAES News
Manage holiday stress with kindness, boundaries 11/21/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Much like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time allows you to spend more of the holiday with guests, setting expectations ahead of the celebration can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science.
Conner Hall CAES News
CAES welcomes 2024 cohort of Rural Scholars 11/20/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences welcomed its fourth cohort of students chosen for the CAES Rural Scholars Program this fall just weeks after celebrating the program's first graduation. Georgia Orman, one of four inaugural Rural Scholars in CAES, graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education. The new scholars for 2024, all from Georgia, are Ela Ash of Ocilla, Lauren E. Coley of Cochran, Amelia Housley of Canon, and London O’Steen of Ambrose.
Women play a vital role in rural American farming, but much of that work is "invisible," like raising children or household chores, according to a new UGA study. (Getty Images) CAES News
The women and stress behind rural farming in America 11/19/24 Leigh Hataway
Recent research from the University of Georgia suggests the unique stresses from farm life may be taking a toll on one of the pillars of the families that make your dinners possible: the women who keep farming families running. “If we don’t control our food sources, we don’t control our health and safety,” said Anna Scheyett, lead author of the study and a professor in UGA’s School of Social Work. “It’s a matter of national security that farmers survive in the United States. And one of the big factors in helping farms survive is women.”
Mergoum at Creature Comforts CAES News
That's the spirit! 11/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras, Claire Sanders Kinnard
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Professional brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile.
Contest-winning concept becomes viable business for alumnus who developed solar-powered, self-propelled chicken coop as a student. CAES News
Poultry in motion 11/14/24 Sean Montgomery
Chris Ayers emerged from his orange and black rough-terrain vehicle with an ear-to-ear grin. “This is Chiktopia,” he said, sweeping his arm wide to indicate the back half of a 3,600-square-foot warehouse on his family’s farm in Ball Ground, Georgia. “This is where I manufacture and assemble the chicken coops. Everything is done entirely from over here.”
UGA Grand Farm Site Plan web CAES News
UGA Grand Farm wins stage two of 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund competition 11/13/24 Jordan Powers
Startups in the agricultural technology sector face significant barriers on the path to establishment, including access to training and capital. These barriers are heightened for underrepresented entrepreneurs seeking to start new companies. The University of Georgia Grand Farm, part of a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm, aims to change that.