Even when the rest of the garden is still in hibernation, the winter snowball enchants with a full, pink bloom. As a winter bloomer it is also interesting for bees.
The winter snowball is an easy-care and magnificent ornamental shrub that is suitable for any garden or as a container plant. We introduce you to this winter bloomer and give tips on planting and caring for it.
Winter Snowball: Flowering Period and Properties
The winter snowball (Viburnum x bodnantense) or also called Bodnant snowball belongs to the musk herb family (Adoxaceae). The name can be traced back to the Bodnant Garden breeding site in North Wales. Winter snowball is a hybrid of scented snowball (Viburnum farreri) and large-flowered snowball (Viburnum grandiflorum).
The winter snowball is an ornamental shrub and can be found in many parks and gardens. It grows rather slowly, taking about 10 to 20 years to reach its maximum size. In old age it develops a dense bushy display up to 3 meters wide, so it should be planted with enough space to the sides. In summer, the winter snowball is characterized by a deep green foliage. The leaves sit on red stalks and can have a wide variety of shapes. If you rub a leaf between your fingers, you can smell a distinctive, sometimes unpleasant smell. In autumn, the foliage turns picturesque red and violet tones and is in no way inferior to the beauty of the pink blossoms.
The magnificent pink-white flowers can be seen from January to April - in mild winters even as early as November. The unusual flowering period was created by crossing the scented snowball, which blooms in November, and the large-flowered viburnum, which blooms in spring. At the beginning of flowering, the buds are visible in a rich pink, only when the buds open do the flowers become lighter, untilto a delicate pale pink. In addition to the visual splendor, the flowers exude a pleasant fragrance that smells of vanilla or cloves, depending on the variety.
What does the winter snowball look like in summer? In summer, the winter snowball's heyday is already over. He then presents his small round fruits. They are initially red and then dark blue and slightly frosted when ripe.
The most beautiful winter snowball varieties
In addition to the original species, there are also some winter snowball varieties that differ mainly in terms of flower color and flowering time. We present some particularly beautiful varieties.
Winter Snowball 'Dawn': The cultivar Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' bears flowers in light, almost whitish pink and flowers from November to mid-April. This winter snowball attracts many insects with its strong scent.
Winter Snowball 'Deben': The flowering period of the 'Deben' variety is somewhat shorter and is between February and April. The flowers are light pink in color.
Winter Snowball 'Charles Lamont': From January to April, Viburnum shows bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' its pretty pink flowers. It will be about as wide as it will be tall.
Planting Winter Snowballs: Location and Procedure
The Winter Snowball likes a spot in the sun, or a sunny spot. A certain amount of sunlight and warmth are essential for the gorgeous blooms. The demands on the floor are not very special. Well-drained, nutrient-rich, fresh and slightly acidic soil is recommended. If the soil doesn't fit perfectly, the winter snowball forgives these circumstances, but it may not develop as splendidly. If the soil is very dry, the winter snowball should be in partial shade. If you are unsure whether the soil conditions are right, you can prepare the planting hole with our Plantura organic universal soil to support the winter snowball. With the slightly acidic pH value, it is in the ideal range for the winter snowball and can store water well without getting wet. The planting hole should be 1.5 times the diameter of the root ball.
Tip: It is best to plant the winter snowball by the wayside or in a place where you spend a lot of timestop. So you can enjoy the fragrance extensively. It is not for nothing that the shrub is also called "fragrant winter snowball".
To plant the winter snowball, it is best to choose spring or autumn. When planting, care should be taken to ensure that there is sufficient space, as the winter snowball grows very wide and also forms runners to a small extent. A distance of about 1 - 2 meters is recommended here. Should it be necessary to change location, you should do so within the first 5 years. This allows the winter snowball to survive transplanting better. The best time to do this is immediately after flowering.
Planting winter snowballs in a pot
The winter snowball can also be kept in large pots. This cultivation is not optimal, but with the right care it can produce a magnificent ornamental shrub. The planter should have good drainage to prevent waterlogging. A layer of potsherds, expanded clay or pebbles can be placed on the bottom of the pot. Here, too, our Plantura organic universal soil is suitable as a substrate. To further improve permeability, 30% expanded clay can be mixed in. To reduce evaporation of water, the viburnum's root area should be covered with mulch.
Tip: If you want to save space and still enjoy the full bloom, you can grow your winter snowball as a standard. This is how the flowers really come into their own on top of the slender trunk in the bed or on the balcony and save space. Regular trimming is particularly important in order to maintain the shape over the long term.
Care for the winter snowball: pruning, fertilizing etc.
The winter snowball is a very easy-care tree. In the warm summer months it should be watered outdoors if the drought persists. Regular fertilization of the winter snowball is not necessary. If the location is rather nutrient-poor, it makes sense to use compost or organic fertilizer in spring. If the winter snowball is kept in a pot, it must be supplied with long-term fertilizer once a year, as the nutrient supply in the pot is limited. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer, for example, is suitable for this, as it supplies the winter snowball with all the important nutrients over a period of several months. It's for soil animalscompletely harmless and can be used both in beds and in pots.
The luxuriant and bushy habit can be shaped by pruning the winter snowball, preferably right after flowering. Shoots that are too long can be shortened above an outward-facing leaf node. Since the winter snowball tolerates pruning well, it can also be thinned out. The tips are not cut, but the thinning takes place in the inner area of the crown. Pruning ensures that young shoots keep growing, so that the shrub always looks lush.
Tip: Remove the oldest shoots every 3 - 4 years to encourage flowering and keep your winter snowball vital for a long time.
Spread Winter Snowball
Top cuttings are suitable for a varietal propagation of the winter snowball in summer. These can be gained, for example, by pruning after flowering. The 10 - 15 cm long cuttings should be freed from the lower leaves and then planted halfway into pots with suitable potting soil. If you slightly injure the shoots at the cutting point beforehand and roll them in rooting powder, this increases the chances of success. Keep the pots regularly moist and place them in a bright spot out of direct sunlight. The ideal temperature is between 20 and 30 °C. Roots form quickly and the new plants can be transplanted into larger pots. Please note that the summer cuttings should not be planted out over the winter so that they do not freeze to death. Keep the winter snowball cuttings frost-free and bright in winter, but not too warm and not too humid. They will be planted out next spring.
Alternatively, you can also use offshoots to multiply your winter snowball. In the field, the root suckers usually form by themselves. If they shoot out of the ground in spring, they can be separated from the mother plant and replanted. Ensure that the new plants are sufficiently watered.
Winter correctly
The Winter Snowball is a hardy ornamental shrub. Outdoors, the winter snowball can be protected from frost and cold by adding some bark mulch over the root ball. Occasionally, some flowers and buds freeze to death in icy temperatures, but this does not harm flowering. locatedIf the winter snowball is in a bucket, you must overwinter it in a cool, frost-free room or wrap it up well in insulating material and cover it over the winter months.
Is the winter snowball poisonous?
The fruits, leaves and bark of the winter snowball are poisonous to humans. The toxicity is low, however, pets and children should not consume these parts of the winter snowball.
The winter snowball seems to be a little winter wonder for wild bees, bumblebees and other pollinators in the winter landscape, which is otherwise sparse with flowers, on mild, sunny winter days. Due to the elongated shape of the flower and the low pollen and nectar levels, the winter snowball cannot be classified as particularly bee-friendly.
In our article we present other decorative winter flowers that beautify the garden even in the cold season.