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jel48

viburnum winterthur - does anyone have this viburnum?

jel48
18 years ago

Nursery listings say Z5 hardy. Does anyone have viburnum winterthur? Have you had it long? How do you like it. Have you had any problems with winterkill? Is the fruit attractive to birds?

I'm on the lookout for small trees / shrubs for a 'forest corner' that I want to add this year. It will be a triangular area with the corners being 2 existing evergreens and 1 existing deciduous tree. Two things that I am particularily interested in are 1) adding food for birds and/or butterflies, and 2) adding color, particularily in fall and winter but other seasons of the year as well. I saw viburnum winterthur in one of the magazines that I picked up at the winter blues seed swap and the illustration caught my eye right away!

Comments (12)

  • leaveswave
    18 years ago

    I don't have that one, but if you're willing to broaden your search, I do have 2 or 3 other viburnums that are quite attractive and provide the features you are looking for. Plus they are hardy to at least zone 4 so you don't have to worry about dieback.

  • jel48
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Yes, I would be interested leaves. What varieties do you have?

  • leaveswave
    18 years ago

    v. trilobum, v. witherod, and onondaga

    You're welcome to come by for a mini-tour this summer and see how they look in situ.

  • leftwood
    18 years ago

    Onandaga is especially attractive with purple tinged foliage. A non-native, but otherwise looks just like our native trilobum.

  • leaveswave
    18 years ago

    Mine don't have a purple tint, it could be because they are in a relatively shaded site.

  • leftwood
    18 years ago

    You should still be getting some purple when the foliage is very new. And the middle part of the flower head should have a purple tinge also. That is why it was selected. Otherwise, it is just another Viburnum sargentii (but still a worthy shrub). Check this spring. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

  • jel48
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Well.. I started out doing a search on Viburnum 'Onondaga'.... and found oh so many shrubs that seem to fit my 'wants'. I did decide to go with the more hardy viburnum (rather then winterthur). Here's a tentative list.

    Amelanchier alnifolia 'Regent'(Serviceberry/Juneberry);
    Aronia melanocarpa elata (Glossy Black Chokeberry);
    Viburnum 'Onondaga';
    Viburnum 'Blue Muffin';
    Qty 2 -Ribes aureum (Golden Current);
    Shepherdia argentea 'Silver Buffalo Berry';
    Sambucus pubens (Red Berried Elderberry);
    Qty 3 - Cornus sericea 'Kelsey'(Dogwood)

    The list may change before time to plant them, of course, but I'm liking these so far. All are bird favorites. And, I've even been playing with the layout (area roughly bordered by two good sized evergreens and one medium sized deciduous tree that are already in place.

    Comments on any of the varieties are welcome, as are suggestions for ones you like even better. And yes... I already know my neighbors will probably want to tar and feather me with all those juicy red and back berries that the birds can't resist... I remember very well how our cars looked during mulberry season when I was growing up on the farm :-)

    If anyone is unfamiliar with any of these varieties and would like to look at them all in one place, try the link below - they are listed under 'plants for birds'.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Spring Valley Roses - and other plants

  • Julie
    18 years ago

    Hey there Joyce-
    The Service berry and elderberries are people favorites as well!! And Rabbit fodder!!
    You will need to net the service berry if you want to try any- the birds love the berries so well- and be sure to cage all of your shrubs each fall and winter for a few years to protect them from the bunnies!! They will chew em down to nothing- or nip all the bark off the lower trunks and branches branches if they can't bite right through them- The Voice of experience talking....
    I have several young-uns very bunny damaged this spring. It is so much easier on the heart and pocketbook to learn, re-learn and remember that lesson from print than experience!
    A nice list of choices you have compiled! How about Blue Cohosh? or Sambucus Nigra? They are on my short list as well!
    I could send you a few hardwood cuttings of a few common things I have, if you think you may like to try to start them that way...... I do believe it is still a good time of the year to try this techique... Rick would know for sure!
    Julie

  • jel48
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I've made a start.... thanks to Julie, Rick, and Leaves. It's almost tougher when you have a list of varieties then when you go 'looking' without knowing exactly what you want. And, of course, it's still early so nurseries are just starting to get the shrubs in. So far, I've found:

    Amelanchier alnifolia 'Regent'(Serviceberry/Juneberry) and Aronia melanocarpa elata (Glossy Black Chokeberry)- Both found at Sargent's on 2nd (Rochester. Viburnum 'Blue Muffin' found at Owatonna's newest nursery Turtle Creek. And, just today Viburnum 'Onondaga' found at Nagle's Sod and Nursery on I-35 south of Medford.

    I have to say, I love Onondaga! The spring color is just lovely. I have planted it near a deep evergreen tree on one side and with the silvery Chokeberry on the other side. That little section should just be stunning when the shrubs get a little growth on them.

    I think the golden current and the 'Kelsey' dogwood might be the toughest to track down. I've found plenty of 'Alpine' currents but not the golden variety. Same for other varieties of red twigged dogwood but I'm kind of stuck on Kelsey for it's small size (2-3' H&T). I can always mail-order, but would rather do business locally if I can.

    BTW, for anyone who hasn't been there, Nagles has the greatest selection of iron (the natural rusty looking variety) garden accessories. I ended up buying a bench and trellis's as well as the viburnum. They also have a lot of concrete yard art, benches, etc, but it was really the iron that got to me!

  • sjmarq
    18 years ago

    Did you check with the Sargents location in N Rochester? (Just north of 75th St N on 18th Ave I think). They tend to have a much larger selection than the one on 2nd street. Although I'm pretty sure their websites lists the varieties they carry so I'd do that first and save yourself some trouble. Most places are willing to get you what you want from their suppliers so work with whoever you like best.

  • doucanoe
    18 years ago

    Joyce, I have V. Blue Muffin and it is doing well. This will be my second season with it, so I am hoping to get flowers and fruit this year.

    And, of course I have dozens and dozens of Elderberry (wild) growing along the edges of our woods. I don't harvest the flowers or the fruit, leave it all for the birds. I figure if I let them have the elderberries they may just leave my raspberries alone....NOT.
    I would be happy to bring some elderberry to the swap for you if you would like some.

    Linda

  • jel48
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    sjmarq, yes I did. I had been to Sargents North first, and they were just starting to bring up their shrubs so didn't have much to look at, at that point. I checked back there again yesterday, but already had the ones that I wanted that they had in stock. I stopped by that other garden center there on 18th avenue, Green something... I can never exactly remember their name. Anyway, I picked up the Silver Buffalo Berry there, so I'm making progress :-)

    Linda, I may take you up on that if I haven't found one before then. I still have to work out the logistics of getting things too and from the swap, but I'm hoping I can figure something out. Don't know if you read the last post I put in the exchanges section, but it turned out my stepson's high school graduation is here in Owatonna at 2 pm that afternoon :-(

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