Viburnum
Viburnum × bodnantense
Family: Adoxaceae · Also called Dawn Viburnum, Bodnant Viburnum, Winter Viburnum
Floral · Winter bloomer
Winter viburnum is the backbone of the scented winter garden, clusters of pink-budded, white-opening flowers studding bare upright branches from November through March, releasing waves of sweet perfume on any mild day. It's not flashy, but walk past it on a winter morning and the sudden hit of warm fragrance stops you in your tracks.
warmth, life force, tenacity
In the Victorian language of flowers, viburnum means “Warmth in adversity”. This hybrid was raised at Bodnant Garden in Wales in 1935, a cross between two Himalayan/Chinese species. The cultivar 'Dawn' quickly became the most planted winter-flowering shrub in British gardens. Unlike many garden hybrids, it seeds freely and is wonderfully vigorous, reaching 10 feet with little care.
Did You Know?
Viburnum × bodnantense flowers are remarkably frost-hardy, they can be frozen solid, thaw out, and continue as if nothing happened. The plant produces flush after flush of bloom over 4-5 months, timed to open during each mild spell. Only 3 cultivars exist ('Dawn,' 'Deben,' and 'Charles Lamont'), all from the original 1935 cross at Bodnant Garden.
Bred from V. farreri (China) × V. grandiflorum (Himalayas), thrives in any reasonable garden soil
Viburnum is native to Garden hybrid (Chinese parents). It naturally grows in bred from v. farreri (china) × v. grandiflorum (himalayas), thrives in any reasonable garden soil.
Scent Profile
“A sweet, heliotrope-like warmth with almond undertones, surprisingly powerful for a winter-flowering shrub. The scent carries well on cold air and can be detected several meters from the plant.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameViburnum × bodnantense
- FamilyAdoxaceae
- Native ToGarden hybrid (Chinese parents)
- Bloom SeasonWinter
- LifespanPerennial
Cultural Significance
This hybrid was raised at Bodnant Garden in Wales in 1935, a cross between two Himalayan/Chinese species. The cultivar 'Dawn' quickly became the most planted winter-flowering shrub in British gardens. Unlike many garden hybrids, it seeds freely and is wonderfully vigorous, reaching 10 feet with little care.