Viburnum Kilamandjaro® Sunrise Snowball Bush

RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2015

Elevate your garden with the enchanting Viburnum Kilamandjaro® Sunrise, a deciduous shrub that graces your landscape with its beauty throughout three seasons. This remarkable plant blooms in late spring to early summer, occasionally surprising you with sporadic blossoms in the growing season. Kilamandjaro Sunrise features a captivating multi-stemmed architecture, characterized by tiered, horizontal branching that imparts a lovely layered and medium-textured appearance.

Adorning the branches are flat-topped, lacecap-like white flower clusters that blush pink, arranged in a charming "doublefile" fashion on each side of a node. Following the summer blossoms, large, glossy red fruits emerge, becoming a source of sustenance for birds. As fall arrives, the foliage transforms into a stunning fiery red, adding a burst of color to your outdoor space.

Belonging to the Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum species, commonly referred to as snowball bush or doublefile viburnum, Kilamandjaro Sunrise exhibits an average growth rate and a dense, distinctive habit that is more upright and conical than the species. This spectacular shrub shines when massed or grouped in beds, borders, or foundation plantings, making it an excellent choice for hedges or privacy screens.

Cold-hardy and easy to care for, doublefile viburnum flourishes in sunny to partly sunny locations with moderately fertile, moist, well-draining soils. However, it adapts to most soil types, excluding very wet ones. For optimal flowering and fall color, ensure a minimum of 4 to 6 hours of daily sunlight. Pruning is recommended for mature plants, with any desired trimming performed in summer, immediately after flowering.