Chicago Lustre® Arrowwood Viburnum

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

8-10 Feet

Mature Spread

6-7 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 7

The Chicago Lustre arrowwood viburnum is a true year-round workhorse in the landscape. It leads with clusters of white flowers in June and deep green foliage in the summer. Leaves turn a brilliant wine-red and blue-black berries develop in the autumn. This upright shrub, known scientifically as Viburnum dentatum ‘Synnestvedt’ is a magnet for bees, butterflies and birds, who love to nest in its dense branches and feast on berries.

The Chicago Lustre cultivar, introduced by a partnership out of Northern Illinois, got its name from its bright, shiny foliage. It also differs from other viburnums in that it produces more fruit. It is notably hardy and easy to grow. The vigorous upright habit of the Chicago Lustre makes it an excellent candidate for a hedge, screen, or background planting.

Chicago Lustre Viburnum Care

Chicago Lustre is exceptionally easy to grow and thrives in full sun to part shade conditions. For the first year or two following planting it benefits from occasional deep watering during dry spells but is very drought and heat tolerant once established. It does prefer acidic, well-drained soil and tolerates soil moisture. An annual feeding with a slow-release fertilizer is enough to keep this viburnum thriving.

Perform maintenance pruning to force the viburnum to keep the desired shape once flowers die back in the summer. If plants get very overgrown, they tolerate hard pruning in late winter or early spring every few years.

Chicago Lustre Viburnum Spacing

The Chicago Lustre viburnum grows 10 to 12 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide, so plant individuals 4 feet apart to form a hedge or background that will quickly form a dense row. For an airier-looking hedge, give specimens a bit more room. To produce berries they need another Viburnum dentatum cultivar that blooms at the same time.