Shrub
Sweet Viburnum
Viburnum odoratissimum · Adoxaceae (Viburnaceae)
Also called: Sweet Viburnum, Awabuki Viburnum
Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum) is a moderate-water shrub well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It's a moderate to fast-growing shrub. Expect white, fragrant flower clusters blooms spring.
Sweet Viburnum at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Partial shade to filtered sun in Tucson; needs protection from intense afternoon and reflected sun, which scorches the large glossy leaves. Best on east/north exposures or under high shade.
- Mature size
- 10-20 ft tall and 8-15 ft wide (kept smaller as a hedge)
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Bloom
- White, fragrant flower clusters, Spring (small fragrant white panicles), sometimes followed by red-to-black berries
- Cold hardiness
- Cold-hardy to about 10-15°F (USDA 8-10); evergreen in Tucson but foliage can be frost-burned in hard freezes. Recovers in spring.
- Soil
- Prefers rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil; struggles in alkaline desert soil without amendment. Improve with organic matter and maintain mulch.
- Native range
- Native to Asia (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia).
- Best used as
- Tall evergreen screen or privacy hedge, Shaded background shrub, Windbreak, Small specimen tree (limbed up)
- Wildlife
- Fragrant flowers attract pollinators; berries can attract birds.
- Toxicity
- Generally low toxicity; berries may cause mild GI upset if eaten in quantity. Considered low-risk around pets and children.
How to grow Sweet Viburnum in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Not drought-tolerant; provide regular deep irrigation every 4-7 days in summer heat and every 10-14 days in winter, keeping soil consistently moist but not soggy. Mulch heavily to retain moisture and cool roots.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Moderate feeder; apply balanced or acidifying fertilizer in spring and again in early summer. Routinely treat with chelated iron and soil sulfur, as it is prone to iron chlorosis in Tucson's alkaline, high-pH soils.
Pruning & care
Responds well to pruning and shearing; shape in late winter or after flowering. Can be maintained as a large hedge or screen or limbed up into a small tree. Avoid heavy summer pruning.
Notes
A higher-maintenance, higher-water choice for Tucson — best reserved for protected, irrigated, shaded courtyards rather than open desert exposure. Prone to iron chlorosis and leaf scorch in full low-desert sun. Plant in fall. Provide reliable water and afternoon shade for good performance.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Pima County Master Gardeners; AMWUA / regional horticulture references