The gardener understands the term scented snowball to mean various types of snowball, which attract attention with the beguiling scent of their white or pink flowers. As a rule, they are deciduous, easy-care shrubs with a broad bushy growth and early flowering: Fragrant snowballs usually show their splendor in the months of March and April, but some open the spherical to umbrella-shaped umbels as early as November.

The scented snowball lives up to its name with its fragrant flowers

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. leaves
  5. flowering and flowering time
  6. fruit
  7. toxicity
  8. Which location is suitable?
  9. floor
  10. Plant scented snowball correctly
  11. Pour scented snowball
  12. Fertilize scented snowball properly
  13. Cut scented snowball correctly
  14. Multiply scented snowball
  15. hibernate
  16. diseases and pests
  17. species and varieties

    18. origin and distribution

    Most of the approximately 100 snowball species come from East Asia, and the scented snowball Viburnum farreri, which is often planted in German gardens, is no exception. This has its home in the northwestern provinces of China, where the climatic conditions are quite comparable to those in Central Europe. In its wild form, the deciduous shrub, which can be up to five meters high, can be found primarily on the edges and in the sparse mountain forests, where it prefers fresh and humus-rich soil.

    Viburnum farreri, often referred to as snowball, and large-flowered snowball (bot. Viburnum grandiflorum) are the two parent species of the hybrid form Viburnum x bodnantense, which is also known as snowball. However, the hybrid is better known under the name Winter Schneeball, which it bears because of its extremely early flowering.

    use

    Plant the scented viburnum either individually - for example in the middle of a lawn or as the center or background of a perennial border together with phlox, larkspur or bee balm - or in groups. In a group planting, you can only plant the species together, for example as a flowering hedge, or with other trees such as rhododendrons, lilacs, dogwoods, spindle trees or a Japanese maple.

    appearance and growth

    Basically, the snowball belongs to the rather slow-growing shrubs, which only grow about ten to 25 centimeters per year. When fully grown, the stiff, upright shrub grows up to about two meters high and two meters wide. The branches often overhang slightly, and the shrub develops numerous runners over time. The wood can easily grow over larger areas through these, as well as through shoots growing from the roots. The crown is usually quite dense, the bark is typically slightly reddish. Older bark often flakes off in wafer-thin scales.

    leaves

    Viburnum farreri is a deciduous shrub whose leaves turn a pretty red to deep purple fall color in fall. This is particularly effective against the evergreen background of a rhododendron plantation. The leaves of the snowball are arranged opposite, lanceolate to elliptical in shape and mostly pointed. They sit on reddish stalks about two centimeters long. They are up to eight centimeters long and four centimeters wide.

    flowering and flowering time

    The main bloom of the snowball occurs between March and April, however, in mild weather, individual inflorescences open throughout the winter from the end of October / beginning of November. The buds have an intense pink color and are arranged in panicles at the ends of the short side shoots. However, the tubular flowers that open out of it are colored white. They have an oblong shape and can grow to about one and a half centimeters in length. The scented snowball bears its name for a reason: Its flowers exude an intense scent that most people find pleasant and can already perceive from a few meters away.

    fruit

    Since there are no bees, bumblebees etc. buzzing around in our latitudes during the heyday of the snowball, fertilization occurs only rarely - fruit is therefore also unlikely. If they do develop, they have an elongated shape and are green to reddish in color. You should also be careful in such a case, the fruits of the snowball are slightly poisonous.

    toxicity

    In addition to the fruits, the whole plant is considered to be slightly poisonous, with no serious consequences due to poisoning to be feared. In extreme cases, nausea, diarrhea and/or vomiting can occur.

    Which location is suitable?

    The scented snowball prefers a sunny to partially shaded location where it can bathe in full sunlight for a few hours a day. Here the shrub develops a particularly large number of flowers, provided that the selected location is protected and not at risk of late frost - the open flowers do not tolerate severe frost. It is best to plant the shrub near a protective wall or directly in front of a hedge, provided it is not too shady there. On the other hand, if the location is too dark, the flowering of the snowball will be noticeably sparser, and the otherwise intense autumn color will also be weaker.

    floor

    However, the snowball is quite undemanding when it comes to soil conditions. The shrub feels most comfortable in a fresh to moderately moist but loose and deep subsoil that is rich in humus and nutrients. Although the plant needs an evenly moist location, it does not tolerate waterlogging. In this respect, you should thoroughly loosen loamy soils before planting and, if necessary, incorporate drainage. In addition, it makes sense at every location to upgrade the soil with plenty of compost - the scented snowball has a high nutrient requirement. In terms of pH, the shrub is very adaptable.

    Plant scented snowball correctly

    Although Viburnum farreri is usually offered in containers and can therefore be planted at any time, experts still recommend planting in spring. This is an advantage because the shrub has enough time until the first winter to root itself thoroughly and thus has a better chance of surviving the cold season unscathed. You should also use a root barrier with a diameter of at least 150 centimeters if you want a containment. The scented snowball likes to spread via foothills and can therefore cover larger areas over the years. It also makes sense to add well-rotted cattle manure (€18.80) or leaf humus to the soil before planting.
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    Pour scented snowball

    The scented snowball needs an evenly moist substrate for its well-being, which is why you should not let planted specimens dry out in the garden. Therefore, make sure you drink enough water during the hot summer months and longer dry periods - once every two weeks should be sufficient in such a case. Scented snowballs kept in pots must not dry out in summer and not freeze through in winter.

    Fertilize scented snowball properly

    If the scented snowball is in normal, humus-rich garden soil and has already been covered with compost or manure when planting, it can get along well without additional fertilizer. However, if the shrub is growing on rather poor soil or if there are signs of deficiency, you can use a standard garden fertilizer to remedy the situation.

    Cut scented snowball correctly

    The scented snowball is a pruning-tolerant shrub that should be regularly thinned out and cut into shape. Such a pruning is best done immediately after flowering in March or April and stimulates the plant to new, strong growth and fresh shoots. Remove stray twigs, dry or dead wood and faded inflorescences.

    Multiply scented snowball

    The easiest way to propagate the scented snowball is to use offshoots, which it develops over time anyway. All you have to do is carefully dig them out, separate them from the mother plant and plant them separately. But the species can also be easily propagated using layering and cuttings, although cuttings are a little more complicated to root. On the other hand, you simply stick sinkers into the ground in spring and cut them off the mother plant as soon as the new plants develop their own shoots.

    hibernate

    The scented snowball is hardy and does not require any special winter protection. Only the flowers that open in mild weather are at risk of frost.

    diseases and pests

    With regard to infestation by pathogens or pests, the scented snowball is comparatively insensitive. Occasionally, an infestation with powdery mildew ("fair weather mildew") or leaf spot disease can become problematic, although both fungicidal diseases can be treated quite easily. Watering with a self-made decoction of horsetail and comfrey not only provides the snowball with additional nutrients, but also effectively prevents fungal diseases.

    In addition, the species is quite susceptible to infestation by aphids or the snowball leaf beetle. Check the shrubs regularly to counteract a possible invasion in time.

    tips

    You can also cut off inflorescences that are not yet fully open and put them in the vase. The branches will last for about two to three weeks (sometimes even longer) if you change the water daily and place the vase in a bright spot.

    species and varieties

    Various types and varieties of the genus "Schneeball" (bot. Viburnum) are referred to as fragrant snowballs, since almost all of them produce more or less fragrant flowers. These are essentially two wild species and a cross between them, which in turn is offered in different varieties:

    • Viburnum farreri: upright shrub, up to three meters high, white or pink flowers between January and March, deciduous
    • Viburnum carlcephalum: also large-flowered fragrant viburnum, broad-bushy growth, up to two meters high, strongly fragrant flowers between the end of April and May, deciduous
    • Viburnum × bodnantense: also winter snowball, scented snowball or bodnant snowball, hybrid of the two species mentioned above or of V. farreri and V. grandiflorum, height of growth up to 3.5 metres, white or pink flowers mostly between March and April

    'Candidissimum': bushy habit, pure white, large inflorescences, particularly plentiful
    'Dawn': upright, arching, overhanging growth, whitish-pink flowers until around mid-April, depending on the weather, flowering is possible as early as November
    'December Dwarf': dwarf form with a growth height of up to 150 centimeters
    'Fioretta': compact habit, pink flowers

    In addition, the following snowball species also have fragrant flowers:

    • Viburnum carlesii: also Korean scented snowball or fragrant snowball, spherical to broad-bushy growth, height of growth up to a maximum of 150 centimetres, strongly scented, white-pink flowers
    • Viburnum burkwoodii: also Easter snowball, loose, broadly rounded habit, height of stature up to 200 centimetres, strongly fragrant, white and pink-tinged flowers between April and May

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Vegetable garden