Blue Blaze™ Viburnum

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

5-6 Feet

Mature Spread

5-6 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 8

Blue Blaze Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum ‘Blubzam’) offers year-round beauty. The attractive, gunmetal-green foliage turns into beautiful reddish-purple leaves in the fall. Its prolific blue berries attract birds and are an excellent food source for a variety of wildlife. Blue Blaze is a more compact Arrowwood variety, with height and spread reaching 4-6 feet. 

Masses of cheery, white blooms provide a great source of nectar for native bees and butterflies from May through early June, complementing its green foliage. The blooms are followed by an abundance of brilliant, dark-blue berries in fall. A bonus is that deer steer clear of Viburnums and don’t find them particularly tasty. 

Blue Blaze Viburnum Care

As a general rule, planting your Blue Blaze Viburnum in full sun will produce the best blooms, berries, and the most vibrant fall colors. Viburnums are adaptable and can tolerate less-than-ideal growing conditions such as drought, salt, and pollutants, but ideally, they are happiest when planted in organically rich, well-draining soil that is kept moist during dry summer months. Try to focus on watering the plant's roots and avoid using directional overhead sprinklers to keep the leaves dry. Plant Blue Blaze Viburnum where there is protection from harsh winter winds and good air circulation to avoid any fungal diseases. 

During the first year, newly planted shrubs should be watered deeply and regularly, particularly during the hot summer months to establish a strong and healthy root system. A general-purpose fertilizer can be added to the soil in the spring before new growth appears.

Blue Blaze Viburnum Spacing

You can plant Blue Blaze Viburnum as an impressive hedge or as a single specimen in a mixed border. Space these shrubs approximately 6 feet apart to allow to allow adequate air circulation around each plant.