Common Name:

General Information

Viburnum grandiflorum is a deciduous shrub or small tree of broad and somewhat stocky habit; it can grow up to 5 metres tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. A very ornamental plant[], it is particularly valued for its sweetly-scented flowers which are produced in the cold season and are said to be able to withstand temperatures down to -12°c without damage[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Himalayas of western China, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan

Habitat

Open forests and shrubberies, often forming dense scrub; at elevations from 2,700 - 3,600 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Viburnum grandiflorum is a very hardy plant, able to tolerate winter temperatures down to about -20°c[].
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but is ill-adapted for poor soils and for dry situations[]. It prefers a deep rich loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[, ]. Best if given shade from the early morning sun in spring[]. Requires shelter from north and east winds[].
The flowers diffuse a sweet and cloying perfume[].
The fruit is not often produced in cultivation[]. This may be due to the plant being self-incompatible and so growing 2 or more different cultivars together may improve fruit set[, ]. Hand pollination may also be beneficial as well as siting the plants so that they get the maximum of protection from severe winter weather[]. A west-facing wall or woodland edge would be ideal for this[].
Closely allied to Viburnum farreri.
The very closely related species Viburnum foetens, which is often included as part of this genus, has a more westerly range, shorter stems and white flowers.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , , ]. A sweet flavour[]. The blackish-purple, ovoid fruit is about 20mm long and contains a single large seed[, ].

Medicinal

The fruit is used traditionally in the treatment of typhoid and whooping cough[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Germination can be slow, sometimes taking more than 18 months. If the seed is harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has fully ripened) and sown immediately in a cold frame, it should germinate in the spring[]. Stored seed will require 2 months warm then 3 months cold stratification and can still take 18 months to germinate[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer of the following year.
Cuttings of soft-wood, early summer in a frame[]. Pot up into individual pots once they start to root and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8 cm long with a heel if possible, mid summer in a frame[, ]. Plant them into individual pots as soon as they start to root. These cuttings can be difficult to overwinter, it is best to keep them in a greenhouse or cold frame until the following spring before planting them out[].
Cuttings of mature wood, winter in a frame. They should root in early spring - pot them up when large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer if sufficient new growth is made, otherwise keep them in a cold frame for the next winter and then plant them out in the spring.
Layering of current seasons growth in mid summer. Takes 15 months[].