Sandankwa Viburnum

Sandankwa Viburnum (Viburnum suspensum) is the hedge for gardeners who want a formal green wall at a sensible height and are willing to wait for it. It reaches about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, holds thick leathery leaves right to the ground, and clips into a crisp face that keeps its shape between trims. Small fragrant white and pink flowers open in late winter and early spring, followed by berries the birds take.

Why you'll love it

• Dense to the base. The branching is naturally low and tight, so a hedge does not lift into bare stems the way faster shrubs do.
• It holds a clipped shape. Slow, even growth means fewer trims a year and a sharper face between them.
• Fragrant winter flowers. Clusters of small white flowers flushed pink open when little else is out, and they carry a light spicy scent.
• Coastal and dry tolerant. Salt tolerant and drought tolerant once established, so it holds up on exposed and unirrigated boundaries.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a dense hedge. That spacing gives a solid face at anywhere between 1.2m and 2.5m, depending on where you choose to hold it.

Topiary and shaping. The small leaves and slow growth make it one of the better subjects for balls, cones and clipped standards that stay neat for months.

Borders and edging. Kept at 1m it works as a low structural border around a bed or along a driveway, without the constant clipping a box hedge demands.

Growing Sandankwa Viburnum in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the densest growth, though it accepts part shade. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens and takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland and cold southern districts will damage the foliage.

Soil. Any reasonable soil that drains, improved with compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it back from the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in dry spells until it is settled. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer keeps the leaf colour strong on a clipped hedge.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density. Trim the hedge after flowering and again in late summer, and avoid a hard cut in the middle of winter, when regrowth is slow.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 200mm pots sold in packs of six, single 300mm pots, and 30L plants. The 200mm and 300mm sizes are young and bushy, usually knee height, and are the value choice for a long hedge run. A 30L plant is already a substantial shrub and gives an instant line where you need privacy now.

This is a slow grower, so allow three to four seasons for a solid hedge from the smaller sizes. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete viburnum care guide
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Plants that suit topiary and shaping
• Other screening plants from 2m to 4m

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

1m apart in a single row. Closer spacing does not speed up a slow growing shrub, and it makes watering and feeding the row harder.

How long until I have a solid hedge?

From 200mm or 300mm stock, expect three to four seasons for a continuous face. From 30L plants the line reads as a hedge almost immediately and just needs shaping.

Can I keep it lower than 2.5m?

Yes. Two trims a year will hold it anywhere from 1m upwards, and because it branches low it stays furnished at the base rather than opening up.