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Korean Spice Viburnum

Viburnum carlesii

Regular price $3064
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: For the best fragrance and heaviest bloom set, plant in full sun (6+ hours). While it handles partial shade well, you may notice a slightly looser growth habit and less intense burgundy fall color.
  • Soil: These shrubs love rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soil. If you have heavy clay, plant it in a raised mound to keep the "feet" out of standing water, or mix in organic compost to improve drainage.

Watering Requirements

During the first year, water deeply twice a week to help the root system reach deep into the soil. Once established, this Viburnum is quite drought-tolerant, but inconsistent moisture during a dry summer can lead to smaller flower buds for the following spring. Aim for a deep soak at the base of the plant whenever the top two inches of soil feel dry to the touch.

Pruning Tips

Korean Spice Viburnum blooms on "old wood," meaning next year's flowers are developed shortly after this year's blooms fade. To avoid cutting off your future flower show, prune only in late spring immediately after the flowers wither. Focus on thinning out the oldest stems every few years to encourage fresh, vigorous growth from the base.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring just as new growth begins to emerge. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer, as this encourages tender new growth that won't have time to "harden off" before the first frost. A layer of wood mulch around the base will also provide a steady supply of nutrients as it breaks down.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4 Week of March 30th
Zone 5 Week of March 16th
Zone 6-12 Week of March 2nd


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Under $50 $9.99
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Description

Amazing fragrant flowers, this customer favorite and best seller for good reason, the lovely Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii), also known as Koreanspice, is a wonderfully fragrant, deciduous shrub. If you had to pick only one shrub to plant in your yard, Korean Spice Viburnum would be that shrub. You'll fall for the ornamental flowers and heavenly scent.

Korean Spice Viburnum is a charming shrub in every way. In spring, petite pink buds unfurl their delicate petals to reveal pink-tinted blossoms that slowly transition to white. Waxy, red flower buds open to white blooms clusters around the same time as your spring-flowering bulbs put on their show.

These 3-inch floral snowballs are sure to turn your head every time you step outside when they are in bloom. Their spicy scent will draw you closer and be an irresistible call to hummingbirds and butterflies so early in the season. Korean Spice is one of the most popular, best-selling plants because of its incredible spicy flowers that exude such an intoxicating fragrance. To date, nobody has been able to successfully recreate that sweet and spicy scent in a candle or spray.

Korean Spice's 4-inch, dark green leaves provide a lush, verdant appearance in your yard. They add a dash of spicy red and purple fall color that lasts and lasts until late in the season. This fine-textured shrub looks great all growing season long.

This Viburnum also has an upright, open-branching nature, so it looks great in winter, too. Add another cultivar like Spice Baby™ Korean Spice as a cross-pollination partner. Your local songbirds will appreciate having the red berries that turn nearly black in autumn. You'll like adding a bit of extra interest to this exceptional, ornamental shrub.

Planting and Application:

You'll find many places to add the compact, rounded Korean Spice Viburnum to your landscape. Use it throughout all of your landscape plantings to weave a common thread of light pink and white flowers, great summer foliage, and outstanding fall color.

You'll have to grow your own and relish the spring bloom time. Korean Spice is a plant that belongs right below your kitchen window, outside of your family room, at your front entrance and along the patio.

Korean Spice Viburnum is a fantastic backdrop to your perennial garden or in a mixed shorter shrub border. These compact shrubs can make handsome foundation plantings. They are just the right size to use as a low-privacy screen along the back of your patio seating area. Heavenly!

Include a few as specimens in your mixed shrub borders or repeat them across the back of your perennial beds as a dramatic backdrop. You'll want to cut some of the sweet pink flower buds for cut flower arrangements. Enjoy watching them open in the vase. Even the fall fruit looks great in bouquets!

Use a hedge of them in full sun or part shade to screen out short, ugly views like the neighbor's garbage cans or to hide your air conditioning unit. Plant several 2 ½-3 feet apart on center, measuring from the center of one to the center of the next. You'll create a small, fragrant hedge with a nice, rounded form, with very little pruning.

  • Waxy Red Buds Open to Light Pink Fragrant Spring Blooms
  • Butterfly Magnet & Incredibly Fragrant Shrub
  • Beautiful Leathery Leaves are Small & Fine-Textured
  • Lovely Branch Structure
  • Gorgeous Wine-Red and Purple Fall Color
  • Beautiful Screens, Hedges & Specimens & Scented Privacy

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Deciduous Korean Spice will adapt to almost any soil type, as long as it drains after a rain event. It's easily grown in average, well-drained soil. If you see puddles that last a long time after a rain shower, bring in additional soil and mound it up to 18 inches. Plant directly in that mound. Top off with a 3-4 inch layer of mulch to hold in moisture and insulate the roots.

Give young plants a moderate amount of moisture on a regular basis to establish them in your landscape. After the first seasons, they can tolerate short periods of drought. However, it is best to keep your Viburnum healthy and stress-free by adding water when needed to the soil. Juglone from Walnut trees doesn't affect these hardy shrubs as badly as others!

Wait to prune until after those amazing flowers are finished in spring. It's rare to need to tip prune, but you can shorten up the ends of branches right after flowering if you'd like. You can also skip tip pruning and renewal prune only if you wish to have fruit for birds. Renewal prune removes the largest, thickest stems from the ground every few years. This will rejuvenate your shrub. Leave the young stems in place, which will flower nicely for you next spring.

Korean Spice has no significant disease or insect issues. It's a good source of food and cover for wildlife, but deer tend to pass it by. It adapts well to a wide variety of environmental climates.

  • Full Sun & Part Shade
  • Moderate Moisture & Appreciates Mulch
  • Widely Adaptable Any Well-Drained Soil
  • Insect & Disease Resistant
  • Deer Tend to Leave It Alone
  • Blooms on Old Wood - Prune Immediately After Flowering

Spicy flowers and fragrance on a beautiful, hardy shrub, Korean Spice Viburnum seems to have it all! Order this amazing plant and perfume your landscape! It's so easy to care for and offers so much.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mature size of Korean Spice Viburnum?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum typically reaches 4-6 feet tall and wide at maturity, forming a compact, rounded shape. This deciduous shrub has an upright, open-branching habit that provides good structure year-round. Allow adequate spacing for air circulation and its natural form.

What sun exposure does Korean Spice Viburnum need?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum thrives in full sun to partial shade conditions. It performs best with at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flowering and fragrance. Plant it where morning sun and some afternoon protection will encourage those spectacular spring blooms you can find at naturehills.com.

How often should I water Korean Spice Viburnum?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum needs regular watering during its first growing season to establish roots, then becomes quite drought tolerant. Water deeply once weekly during dry spells, allowing soil to dry between waterings. Check soil moisture 2-3 inches down and water when dry to the touch.

Is pruning required for Korean Spice Viburnum?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum requires minimal pruning due to its naturally compact, rounded growth habit. Light pruning immediately after spring flowering helps maintain shape without removing next year's buds. Remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches in late winter for best results.

Are Korean Spice Viburnum shrubs invasive?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) is not invasive and is considered a well-behaved garden shrub. This deciduous variety stays compact and rounded without aggressive spreading. Shop at Nature Hills for this reliable, fragrant spring bloomer.

Can Korean Spice Viburnum grow in containers?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum can grow in containers, though it performs best in the ground where it has room to reach its full potential. This compact, rounded shrub adapts well to large containers with good drainage. Choose a pot at least 24 inches wide and provide regular watering since containers dry out faster than garden beds.

What are the common problems when growing Korean Spice Viburnum?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum is generally trouble-free with few serious pest or disease issues. The main challenges are poor flowering in heavy shade and potential aphid problems on new growth. Plant in partial to full sun and ensure good air circulation for best results.

Do you offer plant guarantees?

  • Nature Hills offers a one-year guarantee on all plants when planted and cared for properly. This covers your Korean Spice Viburnum through its first growing season as it establishes. Check your specific guarantee terms at checkout for complete details.

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