Leatherleaf viburnum is a striking evergreen shrub that brings year-round structure and late-season color to the garden. Growing 6 to 10 feet tall and wide, it produces creamy white flowers in May and June, followed by berries that shift from bright red to glossy black and often persist through December. Hardy in zones 5 through 8, this low-maintenance shrub thrives in full sun to partial shade with moderate water, making it equally at home as a formal hedge or a layered landscape anchor.
Partial Sun
Moderate
5-8
120in H x 120in W
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Moderate
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The foliage alone justifies growing this shrub: dark green, deeply puckered, and leathery leaves that remain on the plant year-round in milder climates and persist as semi-evergreen through zone 5 winters. What truly captivates gardeners is the fruit display, which transforms the shrub twice in a single season, opening red before darkening to an elegant jet black that gleams against the dark foliage and can linger into late December. Butterflies arrive for the spring flowers, and the shrub asks almost nothing in return beyond well-drained soil and an occasional pruning after bloom.
Leatherleaf viburnum is primarily grown as a hedge plant, where its dense, upright growth and year-round foliage create reliable screens and defined borders. The showy flower and fruit displays also make it valuable as an ornamental specimen in mixed shrub plantings, particularly where gardeners want winter interest without deciduous gaps.
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Prune immediately after flowering concludes, since the shrub forms its flower buds for next year during the summer months. If the plant becomes overgrown or loses its attractive form, you can cut it back to the ground to stimulate vigorous new growth and reshape the plant. Otherwise, this shrub requires minimal pruning beyond removing any dead or winter-damaged wood.
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