Prague Viburnum

Prague Viburnum (Viburnum × pragense)

Prague Viburnum

Full to part sun, moist to well-drained, tolerates clay and loam, pH 5.5–7.5; moderate drought tolerance once established.

10–12 feet tall by 8–10 feet wide; blooms in April–May with fragrant white flower clusters 5–8 cm across; red to black fruit in fall on established specimens. Growth rate fast. Broadleaf semi-evergreen to evergreen depending on winter severity.

Native region: Not native to Tennessee; hybrid garden origin (V. rhytidophyllum × V. utile), developed in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s.

Prague viburnum is among the fastest-growing screening viburnums available for Middle Tennessee landscapes. The hybrid combines the wrinkled, dark-green leathery foliage of V. rhytidophyllum with the finer texture and semi-evergreen habit from V. utile. It holds foliage better through Zone 6b winters than leatherleaf viburnum (V. rhytidophyllum) alone, though hard freezes below -15°C can cause significant leaf drop. In Middle Tennessee's heavy clay soils it establishes readily and tolerates periodic wet conditions. Powdery mildew develops in shaded, poorly ventilated sites with high summer humidity — a common problem in Columbia-area foundation beds; prune to improve air circulation. Scale and viburnum leaf beetle are occasional pests; monitor in spring.