Photos courtesy of Chad Morse

Viburnum x carlcephalum ‘Cayuga’
Cayuga Viburnum

This U.S. National Arboretum introduction is actually a backcross of Viburnum carlesii and Viburnum carlecephalum. The most stunning aspect of this plant is its highly fragrant snowball shaped white blooms from late April to early May. The showy flower buds are pink. The blooms have a pleasant fragrance as the flowers open and can be smelled from over 30 feet away. This attribute alone is enough to warrant its addition to any landscape however this plant possesses several other positive qualities.

Cayuga Viburnum is very adaptable. It prefers moist loamy soils that are well drained but can handle heavier soils. It blooms best in full sun yet can handle partial shade. The blooms are followed by ornamental clusters of red fruit which fade to black then are usually enjoyed by birds.

Cayuga Viburnum tends to have a rounded habit with a height around 4-6 feet and a spread of 4 to 5 feet. The foliage on this plant tends to be medium textured and more shiny and dark green than most other fragrant Viburnum. The leaves are also highly tolerant to bacterial leaf spot and powdery mildew. In the fall the colors can be magnificent shades of oranges, maroon, and wine red.

This plant is great situated along high traffic areas or near windows in an urban landscape. It can be used as a specimen, planted in masses, or along a border.

Best of all, this plant is readily available in the nursery industry. If you can not find Cayuga Viburnum, many other species and cultivars of fragrant Viburnum are available so be sure to research the plants size at maturity and give these plants enough room to grow!

Chad Morse is a "Master Ohio Certified Nursery Technician" working for The Scotts Company, a leading lawn and garden company with brands such as Miracle-Gro and RoundUp, headquartered in Marysville, OH. Mr. Morse earned his "Master OCNT" status in 1997, and also serves on the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association's OCNT Committee.

For more information about the Ohio Certified Nursery Technician program, click here. To find a professional OCNT near you, click here.