What is the Best Way to Care for Maple Leaf Viburnum?

The maple leaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) is a common plant in eastern North America, where it may be found growing on slopes, in woods, and in ravines, among other places. It is a prolific plant that supplies a nutritious food source for a variety of wildlife. Its cultivated relatives, on the other hand, are often employed as multi-season ornamental, providing a variety of attractive variations throughout the year.

Maple leaf viburnum bushes are sturdy additions to the landscape and function particularly well in native gardens that have been carefully designed. Continue reading to find out how to care for a maple leaf viburnum, as well as what surprises you may anticipate encountering with this plant.

Information about the Maple Leaf Viburnum

The Maple Leaf Viburnum is one of the few plants that can provide both statuesque beauty and year-round seasonal appeal. These plants are very simple to establish, either from seed or with the use of their profuse rhizomous suckers. In reality, adult plants eventually develop thickets of colonized young volunteers as they get older.

 

The drought resistance, simplicity of maintenance and plenty of wildlife food make growing Maple Leaf Viburnums a rewarding garden plant that is hardy in most USDA zones and has long-lasting hardiness. After the plants have established themselves and are providing valuable color as well as food and shelter for animals, maintenance is minimal.

The leaves are 2 to 5 inches (5 to 12.7 cm) long and resemble miniature maple tree leaves, as suggested by the name of the plant. On the undersides of the leaves are little black dots. The leaves are 3-lobed, dully green, and have small black spots on the undersides.

Autumn brings a wonderful reddish-purple hue to the plant, which is covered with spectacular pea-sized bluish-black fruits on the remainder of the plant’s stems and branches. While developing, the plant produces cymes of small white flowers that may be as large as 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter throughout the growth season.

 

Maple leaf viburnum bushes may reach heights of up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) and widths of up to 4 feet (1.2 meters), although they are usually much smaller in the wild. Birds such as songbirds are drawn to the fruits, which are also enjoyed by wild turkeys and ring-necked pheasants. Deer, skunks, rabbits, and moose are among the animals that seem to enjoy nibbling on the bark and leaves of the trees.

Instructions on How to Care for a Maple Leaf Viburnum

Plants like damp loam, but they may also thrive in desert soil conditions if they are given the opportunity. When planted in dry soil, it thrives in partial to full shade, but it can tolerate some sun. Succulent growth results in a wonderful stepped structure on the plant, with layers of airy blooms and sparkling fruits in various stages of development throughout the year.

Choose a spot for planting maple leaf viburnums that is somewhat shaded and utilize the plants as understory greenery to add color to your landscape. Furthermore, they are appropriate for use in containers, along borders, foundations, and hedges, among other things. In their native habitat, they are particularly drawn to bodies of water such as lakes, streams, and rivers.

 

Combine maple leaf viburnum with other dry shade plants such as Epimedium, Mahonia, and Oakleaf hydrangeas to create a lush, colorful display. From spring through early winter, the result will be graceful while still wild, with a variety of vistas to catch the eye at every turn.

It is critical to offer extra watering to the plant throughout the early phases of its development until the roots have established themselves fully. If you don’t want a tangle of plants, thin out the suckers once a year to maintain the primary plant at the forefront of attention. The plant’s shape is not improved by pruning, although it is quite resistant to cutting if you want to retain it in a more compact form. Late winter to early spring is the best time to prune.

When constructing a large area with this viburnum, space each specimen 3 to 4 feet (1.2 m) apart to allow for proper drainage. When seen in large groups, the effect is highly attractive. Maple leaf viburnum is a hardy plant that has few insect or disease problems and requires little additional fertilization. A simple organic mulch applied yearly to the root zone of the Maple Leaf Viburnum offers all of the nutrients required for proper Maple Leaf Viburnum maintenance.