Plant Care Guides / Outdoor & Coastal / Medium shrubs
Exotic | Easy Care | Medium shrubs
Viburnums are among the most popular hedging and screening plants in South African gardens, and for good reason. They form dense, evergreen shrubs with glossy, dark green leaves and clusters of small white or pink flowers followed by berries.
Viburnum sinensis and tinus are the classic hedge varieties, dense, reliable and tolerant of pruning. Viburnum lucidum has larger, glossier leaves and a more upright habit. 'Lisa Rose' adds pink-budded flowers for extra ornamental value. All handle coastal conditions, including wind and some salt exposure, and they make dense, formal or informal hedges that provide year-round privacy and structure. They have a non-invasive root system.
2 to 4 m if left unpruned. Easily kept at any height with regular clipping.
Moderate to fast.
Formal hedge, screen, boundary, privacy planting. One of the most commonly used hedge plants in South African gardens.
Full sun to semi-shade. They grow and hedge well in both.
Any reasonable, well-drained soil. They prefer fertile soil enriched with compost but handle sandy coastal conditions.
Moderate. Water regularly while establishing and during dry spells. Not as drought-tolerant as indigenous alternatives and they show stress in extended dry periods.
Feed in spring and autumn with a balanced fertiliser, especially when grown as a clipped hedge, which is demanding on the plant.
Clip two to three times a year to maintain a formal hedge. They respond well to hard pruning if they have outgrown their space. The best time for a hard cut-back is late winter before the spring growth flush.
Ask about availability. WhatsApp us to check what is currently in stock, or visit the nursery and we will help you choose the right plant for your spot.
