Viburnum Kilamandjaro® Sunrise Snowball Bush

RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2015

Discover the beauty of Viburnum Kilamandjaro® Sunrise, a deciduous shrub that adds interest to your garden across three seasons. This stunning plant blooms from late spring to early summer and occasionally graces your garden with sporadic blossoms throughout the growing season. Its tiered, horizontal branching creates a captivating layered appearance, accentuated by flat-topped, lacecap-like white flower clusters that blush pink. The "doublefile" arrangement of flowers on each side of a node adds to its visual appeal.

As the seasons progress, large glossy red fruits follow the midsummer flowers, providing a delightful treat for birds. In the fall, the foliage transforms into a fiery red, adding a vibrant touch to your landscape. A member of the Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum species, commonly known as snowball bush or doublefile viburnum, Kilamandjaro Sunrise boasts a dense, distinct habit with an upright and conical growth pattern.

This spectacular shrub thrives when massed or grouped in beds, borders, or foundation plantings, making it an ideal choice for hedges or privacy screens. Cold-hardy and low-maintenance, Kilamandjaro Sunrise prefers sunny to partly sunny locations with moderately fertile, moist, well-draining soils. However, it adapts well to various soil types, excluding very wet ones. To encourage optimal flowering and fall color, provide at least 4 to 6 hours of daily sunlight. Pruning is recommended for mature plants, and any desired trimming should be done in summer, right after flowering.