Plant of the Month: January
 |
Viburnum x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' AGM
Common name: Bodnant's viburnum
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Vital statistics
Height and spread: 3m (10ft) x 2m (6ft)
Form: Deciduous shrub
Soil: Moist but well drained, moderately fertile.
Aspect: Moist but well drained, moderately fertile.
Hardiness: Hardy throughout the British Isles |
Viburnum x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' AGM @ Hyde Hall
Many people tend to think that their gardens are dead through the winter months with no plants of interest. Although you my not feel like venturing out into the garden yourself there are plenty of plants flowering their hearts out during these cold months. One good example of this is Viburnum x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' AGM which is a classic winter flowering shrub. It will flower over several months during the winter period, particularly during milder spells when the pale pink buds open to bright pink tubular flowers on the bare winter stems. One common feature that many winter flowering plants possess is that they are very fragrant, mainly so they can attract the few pollinators that are around during the winter months. At Hyde Hall this Viburnum is planted in one of the island beds, but its planted toward the edge of the bed, by a path, so its fragrance can be enjoyed during the winter months without having to walk over the lawn. In your own gardens a shrub such as this could be planted in your front garden along your front path or in your back garden near the back door so its fragrance can be appreciated even during the dull winter months.
Viburnum
This genus contains 150 or more species of evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous shrubs, sometimes trees. A native of thickets and woodland in northern temperate regions, S.E. Asia and South America.
Viburnum is the Latin name of one of the species, possibly V. lantana and means arrow-wood or wayfaring tree.
Leaves are lance-shaped to rounded, entire, toothed or sometimes lobed and arranged in opposite pairs, occasionally in whorls of 3. They are often rough textured and deeply veined and most deciduous species have attractive autumn colour.
Flowers are borne in terminal or axillary panicles, clusters or cymes which are spherical, domed or flattened like a lacecap hydrangea. They are white or cream, pink-flushed or wholly pink and are salver form to tubular or tubular-trumpet-shaped. Some species have very fragrant flowers.
Fruits are spherical or ovoid and red, blue or black in colour. They may cause mild stomach upset if ingested.
Viburnums are cultivated for their foliage, flowers and fruit, and are an attractive addition to a shrub border or woodland garden.
Viburnum x bodnantense (V. farreri x V. grandiflorum)
This hybrid was achieved at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 1933 and repeated at Bodnant Gardens in North Wales by the 2nd Lord Aberconway in about 1935. It is an upright, deciduous shrub with ovate to oblong, dark green, toothed leaves up to 10cm (4in) long, which are bronze when young.
The flowers, which bloom over a long period from late autumn to spring, are very fragrant, tubular and a rich rose-red to pinkish-white. They are up to 1cm (0.4in) across and borne in dense, terminal and axillary clusters, up to 7cm (3in) across on bare wood.
A few small spherical, blue-black or purple fruit are produced, up to 3 - 6mm (0.1 - 0.25in).
Viburnum x bodnantense is mainly found as one of the following cultivars.
V . x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' AGM is a vigorous, hardy shrub with fragrant, bright pink flowers. It blooms in autumn and winter.
V . x bodnantense 'Dawn' AGM is similar in habit and vigour to 'Charles Lamont' but has dark pink flowers which turn to pink flushed white.
V. x bodnantense 'Deben' AGM has sweetly scented flowers, pink in bud, opening white, during autumn and winter.
AGM
The RHS Floral B Committee awarded Viburnum × bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' an Award of Garden Merit and described it as: Vigorous, upright large deciduous shrub with dark purple shoots bearing terminal clusters of scented, pink flowers. Oval leaves open bronze-tinted, becoming dark green by summer.
The RHS Floral B Committee awarded Viburnum × bodnantense 'Dawn' an Award of Garden Merit and described it as: Strong-growing large deciduous shrub of upright growth, with dark green, ovate leaves and clusters of scented, light pink and white flowers opening from red buds.
The RHS Floral B Committee awarded Viburnum × bodnantense 'Deben' an Award of Garden Merit and described it as: Large, vigorous, upright deciduous shrub with dark green, oval leaves and terminal clusters of pink buds opening to fragrant, white flowers.
Cultivation
Grow in any moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade.
Prune to preserve the required shape, annually after flowering. Will tolerate hard pruning.
Propagation
Take greenwood cuttings in summer.
Sow seed in containers in a cold frame or seedbed in autumn.
Pests and Diseases
Honey fungus, leafspot, aphids and viburnum beetles may be a problem, as may the fungal disease Phytophthora ramorum (ramorum dieback or sudden oak death).