When to plant and prune Viburnum (Spring-flowering, scented)
Viburnum (Spring-flowering, scented) flowers from mid April to mid May and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Viburnum (Spring-flowering, scented) is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant’s timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| South Coast and Channel | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| South East and Home Counties | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| East Anglia | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| Wales and West Coast | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| Northern England | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| Northern Ireland | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early October to late November | mid April to mid May | late May to mid June |
Growing notes
Domed heads of pink-budded white flowers in mid to late spring with an exceptional clove scent, often followed by good autumn leaf colour. Slow-growing: RHS gives 10-20 years to reach its ultimate height, so buy the biggest plant you can afford.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 180 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 200 cm
- Eventual spread
- 200 cm
- Hardiness
- H6
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- No
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 50 litres or more
- Balcony rating
- 2 out of 5
Pruning: what to avoid
V. carlesii and its relatives flower on the previous year's growth and need almost no pruning. Cutting them back in winter, or clipping them into a shape in summer, removes the scented spring flowers that are the whole reason for growing them.
Pruning group
Little or no pruning required; if a shoot must be shortened, do it immediately after flowering
What usually goes wrong
- viburnum aphid
- honey fungus
- fungal leaf spot
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for viburnum (spring-flowering, scented).