All florets are sterile
Each spherical head consists of enlarged sterile florets without functional fruit formation.
Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' 3lt
Normal price
€12,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’
Snowball effect ⚪
- Spherical white flower heads
- Green to white and pink
- Lobed autumn foliage
- No fruit
Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ fills its spring crown with rounded flowerheads resembling small snowballs. They open greenish, turn white and may become softly pink as they age. Broad three-lobed leaves and branches arising from several low stems form the backdrop. In autumn, warm red to purple foliage gives way to the exposed woody framework. Unlike the wild species, this cultivar does not produce red berries after its floral display.
Give it room as a large free-growing shrub where the white spheres can be seen in depth, rather than squeezed into a narrow corner or cut into a flat surface.
What makes it special
Three elements define this exact cultivar’s form and presence.
Colour in three phases
The head passes from green to white and often soft pink as tissues mature.
Large multi-stemmed shrub
Fresh basal stems renew a broad rounded crown that can reach about 3 m.
Why you will love it: because green spheres turn into white “snowballs” across a large multi-stemmed shrub, creating a spring display visible from a distance.
In the garden & on the balconyPlacement & plant combinationsSpace for snowballs
Space for snowballs
Use as a free-growing large shrub with space around its multi-stemmed base. Its rounded outline and white flowerheads look best without routine clipping into a flat hedge.
Compatible planting
Allow companions space beside the mature crown in cool, well-drained soil. Hydrangea and anemone continue the white theme after spring flowering, while Cornus adds winter colour.
- Hydrangea quercifolia — large lobed leaves and conical flowers continue the seasonal story with different geometry
- Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ — red winter stems provide colour after the viburnum has become bare
- Anemone × hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ — white autumn flowers fill the base after the spring snowballs have finished
Care at a glance
Light
Sun or very light partial shade; more sun improves flowering when roots do not dry out.
Watering
Water deeply while establishing and in dry periods once the surface has dried.
Climate & hardiness
A hardy deciduous shrub with normal seasonal leaf fall in winter.
Safety
An ornamental plant, not intended for eating. Prevent chewing and keep treated parts away from children and animals.
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, watering, soil, feeding, pruning and problem prevention.
Position & light
Sun or very light partial shade; more sun improves flowering when roots do not dry out.
Watering & drainage
Water deeply while establishing and in dry periods once the surface has dried.
Soil & repotting
Fertile organic free-draining soil that retains cool moisture without waterlogging.
Feeding
Apply compost and a light balanced feed in early spring; avoid excessive nitrogen.
Pruning & habit
Usually very little pruning is needed. If shaping is necessary, work immediately after flowering, selectively removing dead or old weak stems. Avoid uniform clipping that removes future flowering shoots.
Problem prevention
Thin a congested centre and inspect soft tips for aphids or leaves for mildew in still air.
Development over timeGrowth and seasonal habitBroad multi-stemmed shrub
First season
In its early years it sends up vigorous basal stems and large lobed leaves, carrying only a few rounded flower heads at first.
Establishment
Lateral branches broaden the framework and add flowering points while older stems are gradually renewed from the base.
Mature scale
With room it matures into a shrub 2.5–4 m in both directions, strong enough to carry dozens of heavy white balls in spring.
Mature habit & dimensions
in the groundHeight 2.5–4 mSpread 2.5–4 mBroad multi-stemmed shrub
Several low stems branch into a broad crown with three-lobed leaves. Each white sphere comprises many small sterile flowers, not a single giant bloom.
Form through time
two viewsDeciduous
Spring floweringMany sterile flowers form each white flowerhead.
WinterLeaves fall to reveal the branching framework.
Flowerheads open greenish and become white, without red berries following. Autumn leaf fall exposes the same multi-stemmed base.
Mature scale: 2.5–4 m high and 2.5–4 m wide. Eventual growth depends on soil, microclimate and available space.
History & origin Cultivar origin In gardens since the sixteenth century
‘Roseum’, also known as ‘Sterile’, has grown in European gardens since the sixteenth century. It was often called ‘Sambucus rosea’ or Rose Elder before its modern botanical name became established.
In 1613 it appeared in a copperplate engraving in Basilius Besler’s Hortus Eystettensis. The old name Guelder Rose links the form historically with Gelderland in the Netherlands without conclusively identifying its original selector.
The selection was preserved for spherical heads of sterile flowers. Instead of the wild species’ flat flowerheads and red fruits, it offers the white ‘snowballs’ that have kept it in gardens for centuries. It received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical detail for anyone who wants to know what lies behind the plant’s appearance
One head, many flowers
Each ‘snowball’ consists of numerous individual sterile flowers with enlarged corollas, not one giant flower. In the wild species, the large sterile flowers occur mainly around the outside of a head containing smaller fertile flowers.
Sterility changes what follows
The absence of fertile flowers in ‘Roseum’ explains why the species’ characteristic red berries do not follow flowering. The form is maintained by vegetative propagation, not by seed produced by the cultivar itself.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers about light, watering, pots, pruning, mature size and safety.
01How much light does it need?
Sun or very light partial shade; more sun improves flowering when roots do not dry out.
02When should it be watered?
Water deeply while establishing and in dry periods once the surface has dried.
03Can it stay permanently in a pot?
It is not ideal for permanent growth in an ordinary pot; it can stay temporarily in a very large container, but its mature multi-stemmed form performs best in the ground.
04When and how should it be pruned?
Usually very little pruning is needed. If shaping is necessary, work immediately after flowering, selectively removing dead or old weak stems. Avoid uniform clipping that removes future flowering shoots.
05How large does it become?
It forms a large, broad, rounded deciduous shrub with several main stems, reaching approximately 2.5–4 m in height and spread.
06Is it safe to eat or for pets?
An ornamental plant, not intended for eating. Prevent chewing and keep treated parts away from children and animals.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.