Emerald Lustre Viburnum

Emerald Lustre Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum 'Emerald Lustre') is the fast, forgiving answer to a boundary you want covered this year rather than in five. Left untrimmed it reaches about 4m tall and 2.5m wide, holding large glossy leaves that flush bronze red before hardening to deep green. Planted a metre apart it closes into a solid screen in two to three seasons, and it clips just as willingly to a formal 2m hedge.

Why you'll love it

• Cover, quickly. One of the faster screeners available, putting on close to a metre a year with water and feed behind it.
• Big leaves read as lush. Broad, high gloss foliage rather than fine, so even a young hedge looks substantial.
• Scented spring flowers. Clusters of small white flowers with a sweet perfume that carries on still evenings.
• Handles coast and heat. Salt, humidity and drought tolerant once established, so exposed boundaries and hot western fences suit it.
• Shapes well. It reshoots readily from a cut, so it takes a formal hedge, a clipped pillar or a shaped pair at an entry.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row. Tighter spacing makes the plants compete for water without closing the gap faster. For a looser informal line, use 1.5m.

Blocking an upper storey. At 4m untrimmed it is one of the few hedging shrubs tall enough to screen a neighbouring first floor window without becoming a tree.

Clipped feature planting. Larger pot sizes suit a matched pair either side of a gate, or a green pillar at the corner of a house.

Growing Emerald Lustre Viburnum in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest, glossiest growth; part shade works but the screen stays looser. This suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting southern and inland gardens want a hardier hedge instead.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil with drainage. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep along the run, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper back. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and late summer keeps the leaf colour dark.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density low down, then trim after the spring flush and again in late summer. Use hand shears rather than a powered trimmer, because the large leaves get sliced and brown along the cut edge. It reshoots from old wood, so a neglected hedge can be cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in seven sizes, from tube stock to 45L. Tubes, the 140mm pack of ten and the 200mm pack of six are the value choice for a long boundary: young single stems that need a season of tip pruning. The 250mm pack of three and the 300mm plants are the middle ground, while 400mm and 45L plants arrive already branched and carrying height.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet fortnight, then new growth within four to six weeks. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Shiny Xylosma, a frost hardy hedge alternative
• Browse scented plants for the garden
• Preparing a bed before you plant a hedge

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

One metre apart in a single row for a dense screen, or 1.5m for a looser line. Planting closer does not close the gap faster and makes watering harder.

Can I keep it at 2m?

Yes. Two trims a year hold it at 2m, and because it shoots from old wood it stays furnished at the base rather than lifting into bare stems.

Is it safe around pets?

The berries are mildly toxic if swallowed, so we would not recommend it where a dog chews on garden plants. The foliage is not the concern, the fruit is.