Coppertop Sweet Viburnum

Coppertop Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum 'Coppertop') is the fast, glossy hedge for warm Australian gardens, set apart from a plain green screen by its bronze copper new growth. Left untrimmed it reaches about 3.5m tall and 2m wide, but it is usually clipped to a solid 1.5m to 2m hedge. Planted 1m apart it closes into a dense wall within two seasons, and the white flowers carry a genuine sweet scent.

Why you'll love it

• Copper new growth, all year. Every flush of leaves opens bronze before hardening to deep glossy green, so a trimmed hedge keeps changing colour.
• Fast enough to solve a problem this year. It is one of the quicker screening shrubs, and it branches low so the base does not go bare.
• Fragrant flowers. Clusters of small white flowers in the warmer months, scented strongly enough to notice from the path.
• Built for hot, humid and coastal blocks. Heat tolerant, humidity tolerant and salt tolerant, which is a rare combination in a formal hedge plant.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row. Closer spacing does not close the gap any faster and makes watering and feeding harder. For a 3m screen, leave it untrimmed at the top and clip the sides only.

Poolside. The leaves are large and leathery rather than fine, so leaf litter is easy to scoop instead of clogging skimmers, and salt spray from a pool does not mark it.

Topiary and shaping. It takes clipping well and holds a crisp edge, so it suits balls, cubes and formal columns.

Growing Coppertop Sweet Viburnum in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the brightest copper; part shade works but the hedge stays looser. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so cold inland and southern gardens should choose a frost hardy hedge instead.

Soil. It is not fussy about type but it wants drainage. On clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the whole trench rather than each hole. Mulch 75mm deep, kept off the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper. Feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer to keep the flushes coming.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to force low branching, then trim two or three times a year. Each trim triggers a fresh copper flush, so cut before you need the colour. It reshoots from old wood if a neglected hedge needs resetting.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in six sizes: 140mm packs of ten, 200mm packs of six, 250mm packs of three, 300mm and 400mm pots, and 45L. The small pack sizes are the value choice for a long boundary and are only a season behind. The 45L stock arrives already branched, carrying real height on day one.

Plants are packed to travel upright, and a few dropped leaves after transit is normal. Expect a quiet fortnight, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the viburnum care guide for feeding and trimming detail.
• Compare alternatives in hedging and screening plants.
• Browse suitable plants for poolside gardens.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. At that spacing the canopies meet and the hedge reads as solid within about two seasons, with no thin patch at the bottom.

How fast does it grow?

Quickly in a warm garden with water and feed, noticeably slower through cooler months and in warm temperate gardens further south. Most people get a usable screen in the second year.

Is it suitable near a pool?

Yes, it is one of the standard poolside hedges. The foliage is salt tolerant and the large leaves drop whole rather than shredding into the water.