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Viburnum carlesii Spice Island™

Flowers after the leaves unfurl!

Have you ever wondered what you would plant if there was only room for one in your outdoor space? High on my list would be something with amazing flowers. Yes, flowers with a tantalizing fragrance that could be carried on the breeze. Something I could plant along a walkway so that every time someone passed by, the sweet aroma would captivate him or her. Maybe a plant that was compact enough to place near a window so I could breath in the fragrance on a spring day.

Viburnum Spice Island™ offers all of these nuances and so much more! Delightfully fragrant, pink buds open to white snowball-like clusters. And unlike many viburnum carlesii, this variety blooms with its leaves fully expanded as a backdrop, enhancing the beauty of the flowers. And as the warm summer breezes make way for crisp autumn air, Spice Island’s™ leaves turn to brilliant shades of burgundy and glowing red. A compact grower, Spice Island™ is slow to mature, perfect for garden paths, smaller spaces and as a specimen plant.

Who Am I?

  • Common Name:
    Spice Island Korean spice bush
  • Botanical Name:
    Viburnum carlesii ‘Select A’
  • Type:
    Shrub

Cultural Details

TYPE

Shrub
  • Light:
    Full sun (6 hours) to partial shade
  • Soil:
    Average garden soil
  • Moisture:
    Moist, but well drained
  • Hardiness Zone
    5-9
  • Bloom Time:
    Mid-Spring
  • Bloom Color:
    White
  • Size:
    4-5' tall by 4-5' wide
  • Diseases & Pests:
    None known

What Makes Me Special?

A provocative blend of spices and vanilla come together to make this one of the most fragrant ornamentals on the planet! This viburnum never stops giving: beginning with pink buds that open to clusters of white flowers and finishing with brilliant shades of burgundy and red leaves that make the entire plant look like its on fire in the fall. This would definitely be our pick if we could only choose one

Landscape Use

Foundations, mixed borders, specimens, urban gardens

Pruning

Viburnums flower in spring, so if they need any shaping or to have dead branches removed, be sure to do that before August, or right after flowering in the spring

Propagation

Cuttings

Who Am I?

  • Common Name:
    Spice Island Korean spice bush
  • Botanical Name:
    Viburnum carlesii ‘Select A’
  • Type:
    Shrub

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