Common Name:

General Information

Viburnum odoratissimum is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a bushy, dense and rounded crown; it can grow 6 - 10 metres tall, exceptionally to 15 metres[, ].
The plant is occasionally harvested from the wild for its edible fruits. It can be grown as a hedge and is often grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - southern China, southern Japan, northeast India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines.

Habitat

Depleted forests along roadsides at elevations up to 500 metres in Laos[].Found at heights of up to 1,200 metres in the Himalayas.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	5.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the sub-tropical to tropical zones, it can also be grown in warmer areas of the temperate zone.
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[, ]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
Plants are self-incompatible and need to grow close to a genetically distinct plant in the same species in order to produce fruit and fertile seed[, ].
There is at least one named variety, selected for its ornamental value[]. 'Nanum' has a dwarf habit[].
The flowers are very sweetly scented[].

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. No more details are given. The ovoid fruit is about 10mm long and contains a single large seed[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant responds well to trimming and canbe grown as a hedge[].

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[].