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Korean Spice Viburnum

Viburnum carlesii

  • Intoxicating Spring Fragrance Transforms Pink Buds into Heavenly White Blooms
  • Thrives in Zones 5-9
  • Showy Pink, White Blooms in Late Spring
  • Perfect for Hedge or Foundation Planting
  • Pollinator-Friendly - Attracts Songbirds
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


Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

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 planting zones is Korean Spice Viburnum hardy in?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum is hardy in USDA zones 4-7, making it suitable for most temperate climates. This deciduous shrub tolerates cold winters well while producing its signature fragrant spring blooms. Plant in well-draining soil with morning sun for best flowering performance.

What is the size at maturity for Korean Spice Viburnum (height and width)?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum reaches 4-6 feet tall and wide at maturity, forming a compact, rounded shape. This deciduous shrub's manageable size makes it perfect for foundation plantings, mixed borders, or as a specimen plant. Shop at Nature Hills for healthy, nursery-grown plants.

Does Korean Spice Viburnum grow well in full sun, part sun, or shade?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum thrives in full sun to partial shade conditions. It produces the most abundant blooms and strongest fragrance when planted in a location receiving at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Plant in morning sun with some afternoon shade protection in hot climates.

How do I prune Korean Spice Viburnum, and when is the best time?

  • Prune Korean Spice Viburnum immediately after flowering in late spring to avoid removing next year's buds. Light pruning works best since this shrub has naturally attractive open-branching structure. Focus on removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches rather than heavy shaping.

Is Korean Spice Viburnum deer-resistant or do deer eat it?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum is generally deer-resistant due to its aromatic foliage and flowers. While no plant is completely deer-proof, the spicy fragrance that makes this shrub so appealing to gardeners typically deters browsing deer. For best results in high-deer areas, plant near windows or walkways where human activity is frequent.

What soil type does Korean Spice Viburnum prefer (moist, well-drained, pH)?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum thrives in moist, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH of 6.0-7.0. It adapts to various soil types but performs best when drainage is good and moisture is consistent. Amend heavy clay soils with compost to improve drainage.

What are the shipping restrictions—which states can't it ship to (e.g., CA, AZ, AK, HI)?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum ships to most states, but restrictions apply to California, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii due to agricultural regulations. Some additional states may have seasonal restrictions. Check your zip code at checkout to confirm availability for your location.

How do I winterize or protect it in colder zones from wind?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum's upright, open-branching structure naturally withstands winter conditions in most zones. In extremely windy areas, apply a 3-4 inch mulch layer around the base and consider temporary burlap screening on the windward side during harsh winter months.

Does it produce fragrant flowers, and when does it bloom?

  • Korean Spice Viburnum produces exceptionally fragrant spring flowers with a unique spicy-sweet scent. Pink buds open to white 3-inch flower clusters that bloom alongside spring bulbs. The intoxicating fragrance attracts hummingbirds and butterflies early in the season.

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