Viburnum tinus (laurustinus)

Japanese name: ビブルヌム ティヌス
Scientific name: Viburnum tinus

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub 2–7 m tall with a spread of about 3 m.
It branches well and forms a rounded shape.
The leaves are simple and opposite, narrowly ovate, 4–10 cm long and 2–4 cm wide, with a glossy upper surface.
The leaf margins are entire.
Corymbs 5–10 cm across are borne at the branch tips.
The flowers are tinged with crimson in bud, and when open are white to pale pink and fragrant.
The corolla is 5-lobed and the 5 stamens protrude long.
The fruit is 5–7 mm long, ripens to a blackish indigo blue, and is considered poisonous.

[History]
It arrived in Japan in the early Showa era.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
When growing from seed, collect ripe fruits, wash off the pulp thoroughly, and then sow.
It grows well in any soil as long as the site is sunny or in partial shade, well drained and rich in humus.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long spell of sunny weather and the soil becomes severely dry.
In addition to fertilizer in winter, apply a slow-release chemical fertilizer with equal amounts of the three components after flowering as a thank-you fertilizer.
It is not pruned and its natural shape is enjoyed, but when you want to keep it compact, cut just above a bud as early as possible after flowering.
Poor ventilation makes powdery mildew and scale insects likely, so take care.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)