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Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' 3lt

Name: Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' 3lt
Brand: Greenleaf Garden Center
SKU: ViburnumRoseum3lt
Price: 9.9 EUR
Availability: InStock

€12,00

€9,90

Quantity

HISTORIC STERILE VIBURNUM CULTIVAR · VIBURNACEAE · SPHERICAL WHITE FLOWERS

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’

Snowball effect ⚪

Family: Viburnaceae · Pot diameter: 19 cm (3 L) · Current height: 40–50 cm

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.

All florets are sterile

Each spherical head consists of enlarged sterile florets without functional fruit formation.

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

Planting position

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.

Colour & compatibility

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 ground

Height 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 views

Deciduous

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?

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.

Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' 3lt — Care & Tips

📦 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.

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Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' 3lt

Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' 3lt

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’

What makes it special

All florets are sterile

Colour in three phases

Large multi-stemmed shrub

Space for snowballs

Compatible planting

Care at a glance

Light

Watering

Climate & hardiness

Safety

Position & light

Watering & drainage

Soil & repotting

Feeding

Pruning & habit

Problem prevention

First season

Establishment

Mature scale

Mature habit & dimensions

Form through time

One head, many flowers

Sterility changes what follows

Frequently asked questions

Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' 3lt — Care & Tips

📦 Your plant travels protected

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