Viburnum macrocephalum: Country Or Region Of Origin
China
Plant Profile: Viburnum macrocephalum
Names
Chinese Snowball Tree, Chinese Snowball Viburnum
Phonetic Spelling:vih-BUR-num mak-roh-SEF-uh-lum
Genus:Viburnum
Species:macrocephalum
Family:Viburnaceae
The Chinese Snowball Viburnum is a flowering shrub indigenous to mainland China, reaching heights of up to 15 feet and widths of 12 feet, characterized by its rounded, vase-like shape. Its flowers, the largest among snowball viburnums, start off green before quickly transforming into white blooms. Notably, these flowers are sterile and lack any fragrance. This shrub thrives in moist, acidic, well-drained soils but can adapt to various other conditions. In the southernmost regions where it grows, the leaves are semi-evergreen. While the flowers bloom in spring, they do not produce fruit due to their sterility.
This plant is ideal for use in foundation plantings, groupings, or as hedges, and it boasts strong resistance to diseases.
Viburnum macrocephalum Feature Summary
Viburnum macrocephalum Image Gallery
Tags
#showy flowers
#full sun tolerant
#white flowers
#shrub
#semi-evergreen
#deciduous shrub
#spring flowers
#hedges
#adaptable
#foundation planting
#sterile
#non-native
#borders
#butterfly friendly
#partial shade tolerant
Similar Plants
Viburnum macrocephalum is often confused with:
Viburnum macrocephalum Feature Summary
Attributes
Mildly resistant to damage by deer. Attracts butterflies.
Woody
Flowers
Apple green flowers mature to 3 to 8 in. white inflorescences in rounded cymes. Each floret is 1.25 inches wide and sterile.
White
Green
Spring
Summer
4-5 petals/rays
Star
1-3 inches
Leaves
2-4 inch long and 1.5-2 inch wide egg-shaped dark green leaves. Undersides have star-like hairs.
Deciduous
Semi-evergreen
Green
Simple
Opposite
Elliptical
Ovate
Serrate
3-6 inches
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Deciduous
Semi-evergreen
Rounded
Dense
Vase
Medium
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Stem
Landscape
Cottage Garden
Border
Hedge
Mass Planting
Butterflies
Viburnum macrocephalum Image Gallery
Viburnum macrocephalum Attributes
Viburnum macrocephalum: Wildlife Value
Mildly resistant to damage by deer. Attracts butterflies.
Viburnum macrocephalum: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Viburnum macrocephalum Flowers
Viburnum macrocephalum: Flower Description
Apple green flowers mature to 3 to 8 in. white inflorescences in rounded cymes. Each floret is 1.25 inches wide and sterile.
Viburnum macrocephalum: Flower Color
Green
White
Viburnum macrocephalum: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Viburnum macrocephalum: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Viburnum macrocephalum: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Viburnum macrocephalum: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Viburnum macrocephalum: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Viburnum macrocephalum: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Viburnum macrocephalum Leaves
Viburnum macrocephalum: Leaf Description
2-4 inch long and 1.5-2 inch wide egg-shaped dark green leaves. Undersides have star-like hairs.
Viburnum macrocephalum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Viburnum macrocephalum: Leaf Color
Green
Viburnum macrocephalum: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Viburnum macrocephalum: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Viburnum macrocephalum: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Viburnum macrocephalum: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Viburnum macrocephalum: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Viburnum macrocephalum: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Viburnum macrocephalum: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Viburnum macrocephalum Whole Plant Traits
Viburnum macrocephalum: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Viburnum macrocephalum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Viburnum macrocephalum: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Viburnum macrocephalum: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Viburnum macrocephalum: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Viburnum macrocephalum: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Viburnum macrocephalum Cultural Conditions
Viburnum macrocephalum: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Viburnum macrocephalum: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Viburnum macrocephalum: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Viburnum macrocephalum: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Viburnum macrocephalum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Viburnum macrocephalum: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Viburnum macrocephalum Stem
Viburnum macrocephalum: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Viburnum macrocephalum Landscape
Viburnum macrocephalum: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Viburnum macrocephalum: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Viburnum macrocephalum: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Viburnum macrocephalum: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Viburnum macrocephalum: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
