Overview

Discover the beauty and resilience of the Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub, a superb addition to any garden or landscape. This particular offering is a live plant, shipped as a 10-18 inch tall seedling in a 2.5 inch pot, ready to thrive outdoors. Known for its upright, rounded, and dense growth habit, this viburnum is a true four-season performer. Its glossy deep green foliage provides a lush backdrop throughout spring and summer, transitioning into breathtaking vibrant red to purple hues in the fall. Early summer brings clusters of creamy white flowers, which are then followed by striking deep porcelain blue to blue-purple fruit in August, offering sustained visual interest. The Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub is not only aesthetically pleasing but also remarkably adaptable, making it a favorite among gardeners seeking a low-maintenance yet impactful plant.

This versatile shrub, often sought after as a hardy viburnum plant, is an excellent choice for creating formal or informal hedges, privacy screens, or as a standalone specimen. Its robust nature means it can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions, from heat and drought to pollution and poor soils. Gardeners looking for a reliable and beautiful shrub will find the Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub to be an exceptional investment, providing years of seasonal color and architectural structure to their outdoor spaces.

Key Benefits

The Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub offers numerous advantages for the discerning gardener, combining aesthetic appeal with impressive hardiness and adaptability. Here are some of its key benefits:

• Stunning Seasonal Color: Enjoy glossy deep green leaves that provide year-round interest, transforming into vibrant red to purple shades in the fall for a spectacular autumn display. This makes the Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub a standout feature in any garden.
• Attractive Flowers and Fruit: Creamy white flowers bloom in early summer, followed by clusters of deep porcelain blue to blue-purple fruit in August. These berries not only add visual appeal but can also attract birds.
• Versatile Landscape Use: With its upright, dense, and rounded growth habit, this viburnum for hedges is perfect for creating privacy screens, borders, or as a striking specimen plant in your garden design.
• Exceptional Hardiness: This hardy viburnum plant is highly adaptable to a variety of challenging conditions, including heat, drought, urban pollution, and poor soils, making it a reliable choice for many climates.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, the Chicago Lustre Viburnum requires minimal care, making it an ideal choice for both experienced and novice gardeners seeking a beautiful, easy-to-grow shrub.
• Drought Tolerant: Its ability to withstand periods of dryness after establishment is a significant benefit, reducing the need for frequent watering.
• Year-Round Interest: From spring foliage to summer flowers, fall color, and winter fruit, this shrub provides continuous visual appeal throughout the seasons.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub is relatively straightforward, thanks to its robust and adaptable nature. For optimal growth and health, plant your viburnum in a location that receives full sun to partial shade. Full sun encourages denser growth and more abundant flowering and fruiting, while partial shade is tolerated, especially in hotter climates. This shrub is remarkably unfussy about soil type, thriving in a range of conditions, but it prefers well-drained soil. Avoid excessively wet or waterlogged areas, as this can lead to root issues. While it can adapt to dry, poor soils with varying pH, amending heavy clay soils with organic matter can improve drainage and overall plant vigor. The hardy viburnum plant is known for its tolerance to various soil conditions.

Watering needs for the Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub are moderate. During its establishment period (the first year or two after planting), ensure consistent moisture by watering regularly, especially during dry spells. Once established, it becomes quite drought tolerant, requiring less frequent watering. However, supplemental watering during prolonged dry periods will benefit the plant. Fertilization is generally not heavily required, but a balanced slow-release fertilizer applied in early spring can promote healthy growth. Pruning should be done as needed to maintain its desired shape and size, or to remove any dead or damaged branches. The best time for major pruning is after flowering in late spring or early summer. This shrub is hardy in USDA Zones 5–8, meaning it can withstand winter temperatures down to -20°F to -10°F. Protecting young plants during their first winter in colder zones with a layer of mulch can be beneficial.

Size & Details

This offering includes one Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub seedling, which measures approximately 10–18 inches tall from the top of the soil to the tip of the plant. It is currently growing in a 2.5-inch nursery pot, providing a healthy root system ready for transplanting into your garden. The mature size of the viburnum for hedges is quite substantial, reaching an impressive height of 8–10 feet and an equal spread of 8–10 feet. This makes it an excellent choice for creating a significant visual impact in your landscape. The growth rate is moderate, allowing the plant to establish itself well within a few seasons and gradually grow into its mature form. Expect to see creamy white flowers in June, followed by the distinctive deep porcelain blue to blue-purple fruit in August, providing continuous interest throughout the growing season. This glossy foliage shrub will become a prominent feature in your outdoor space.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: The Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub typically grows to a mature size of 8–10 feet tall and 8–10 feet wide, creating a dense and rounded bush. It is ideal as a viburnum for hedges.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: This Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub is shipped as a live seedling in a 2.5 inch nursery pot, with the plant measuring 10–18 inches tall.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Chicago Lustre Viburnum is an outdoor plant, well-suited for landscaping, hedges, and garden beds. It is a very hardy viburnum plant.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This shrub thrives in full sun to partial shade. More sun generally leads to denser growth and better flowering and fruiting.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Chicago Lustre Viburnum Shrub is known for being very easy to care for. It’s adaptable to various conditions and drought-tolerant once established, making it suitable for beginners.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your plant will arrive as a live seedling, carefully packaged to ensure its health. If ordered in winter, it may arrive dormant without leaves, which is normal and does not affect its long-term health.
• Q: Can I use this viburnum for hedges? A: Absolutely! Its dense, upright, and rounded growth habit makes it an excellent choice for creating formal or informal hedges and privacy screens. This viburnum for hedges is highly recommended.
• Q: When is the best time to plant? A: Spring or early fall are generally the best times to plant the Chicago Lustre Viburnum, allowing it ample time to establish its root system before extreme weather.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: This viburnum is hardy in USDA Zones 5–8, meaning it can tolerate cold winter temperatures within this range. It’s a very hardy viburnum plant for these regions.
• Q: Does it produce attractive fruit? A: Yes, after its creamy white flowers in early summer, it produces clusters of attractive deep porcelain blue to blue-purple fruit in August, which adds to its decorative appeal and is a key characteristic of this blue fruit viburnum.