Nantucket Viburnum

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

8-10 Feet

Mature Spread

5-6 Feet

Growing Zones

6 to 9

Viburnums are some of the easiest and most rewarding shrubs to add in the garden. Nantucket Viburnum is an introduction from the National Arboretum’s breeding program. Nantucket has a compact shape that needs less maintenance to stay tight and tidy. The large puffs of white flowers late in the spring encourage native pollinators to the garden by the masses.

The natural pyramid shape shows off semi-evergreen leaves that provide shelter for small wildlife that may be visiting your garden. The small red berries appear in the late summer and provide nutrition for birds through the winter. Nantucket has been developed to have superior drought and heat tolerance. This is one Viburnum that can be grown in the South with great results.

Nantucket Viburnum Care

Viburnum can handle just about any position in the garden. Full sun to part shade. Average to rich soil. Acid to alkaline soil is not an issue. Well-drained soil that retains moisture is best to help Nantucket establish well. Watering with soaker hoses or drip irrigation is the most efficient means. Mulching with organic compost or leaves in the fall will help build the soil water holding capacity and improve the texture over time.

Annual maintenance in the early spring is some light pruning if needed and applying a well balanced, slow release fertilizer. Pruning out any dead, diseased, dying or diagonal branches that have been affected by the winter will help keep Nantucket Viburnum healthy and tidy looking. Viburnum responds very well to a hard cutback or rejuvenation pruning if needed. Do not cut back more than one third of the branches at a time. This will ensure that blooming is not interrupted for the following year.

Nantucket Viburnum Spacing

Nantucket Viburnum reaches a mature height of 8-10 feet and a width of 5-6 feet. Spacing each shrub at 9 feet, center on center, will ensure the pyramid shape of Nantucket is highlighted. Good air circulation around plants helps to keep mildew and mold diseases to a minimum.