7 viburnums with beautiful autumn colours
for a spectacular late-season garden
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Highly decorative, the viburnums or Viburnum provide a beautiful display throughout the seasons, with white or pink flowering in spring or winter, followed by red, black or blue fruits and striking autumn colours in the foliage. Some species also have evergreen foliage. These bushes, easy to grow, require little maintenance. Very hardy, they can be planted in full sun or partial shade, in rich, moist and well-drained soil, with a preference for acidic soils. Used in hedges, borders or planted alone on a lawn, they add elegance to your garden.
Discover our selection of viburnums with surprising autumn colours!
The winter viburnum - Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn', purplish-red foliage in autumn
The winter viburnum – Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ is a safe bet in the garden. This bush, reaching 2.5 metres tall, has the advantage of a very fragrant winter flowering in pale pink to white shades in January and February, a period when most plants are dormant. Another asset, its foliage changes from bronze in spring to green in summer then turns a purplish crimson red in autumn. The leaves are deciduous. Easy to grow, it is hardy down to −29 degrees and can be planted in full sun or partial shade in ordinary garden soil.
In a border, plant it with bulbs of hyacinths in complementary, bright colours, as well as bushes with evergreen foliage such as Sarcococca.
Burkwood viburnum - Viburnum burkwoodii 'Ann Russell', from orange-yellow to purplish-red
Another sure bet, the Burkwood viburnum – Viburnum burkwoodii ‘Ann Russell’ offers, in turn, in addition to superb fragrant white flower balls from April to May, foliage with autumnal colours ranging from yellow‑orange to purplish red. The foliage can be semi-evergreen. Of fairly compact size, this bush reaches a height of 1.75 metres at ripeness and has a rounded, bushy habit. This Viburnum establishes in partial shade, sheltered from the wind, in fertile, deep soil. It is hardy down to −15 °C.
Have fun composing a Viburnum shrub bed by combining it with other viburnums, such as Viburnum x bodnantense and the Viburnum lantana, which also offer beautiful autumn colours.
Chinese Viburnum - Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii', a Japanese-inspired appearance and flamboyant foliage
Encore une valeur sûre pour le jardin, avec the Chinese viburnum – Viburnum plicatum ‘Mariesii’. Cet élégant bush displays a tiered, table-like habit du plus bel effet. In spring it produces flat white corymbs on its shoots and in autumn its foliage becomes spectacular, shifting from satin dark green to yellow then deep burgundy red before turning purplish. The 10 to 15 cm inflorescences consist of a crown of sterile flowers surrounding small fertile flowers, followed by red berries that turn black. The deciduous leaves are 5 to 8 cm long and are ovate, tapered, veined and with dentate margins. This bush reaches 2 metres in height at maturity with a spread of up to 3 metres. It grows in sun or partial shade and is planted in fresh, not too calcareous soil.
With a Japanese feel, this Viburnum harmonises well in a border with a heavenly bamboo and a black elder ‘Black Lace’.
The guelder-rose - Viburnum opulus, from green to purplish red
The guelder rose – Viburnum opulus is a bush with many attractions. It produces flattened corymbs of small white, lightly scented flowers in May and June, which turn into shiny red berries. It bears crinkled, rough, green foliage that turns purple in autumn. It reaches a height of 3.5 metres at ripeness and is easy to grow, in sun or partial shade, in cool, moist soil. Its hardiness is excellent as it tolerates temperatures down to −34 °C. This country bush is found in damp undergrowth and sometimes in marshes.
Use it in a hedge with stunning autumn colours by pairing it with a burning bush, an oak-leaved hydrangea, a dogwood.
Snowball viburnum - Viburnum opulus 'Roseum', from yellow through orange to wine-red
Known for its globes of white flowers turning pink from May to June, the Snowball viburnum – Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ bears foliage with beautiful autumn colours, shifting from light green to yellow, to orange and finally wine-red. The 8 to 12 cm leaves are slightly downy and divided into 3 to 5 pointed lobes with toothed margins. This deciduous foliage bush literally bends under the weight of its flowers. It can reach a height of 3.5 metres and a spread of 3 metres. Very hardy down to −34 °C, it is easy to grow, planted in full sun or partial shade, in ordinary, moist soil, even tolerating calcareous conditions.
In a garden, plant it as a specimen to enjoy its striking habit or pair it with other colourful foliage bushes such as the Cotinus.
The viburnum - Viburnum 'Le Bois Marquis', from bronze to coppery red
The viburnum – Viburnum ‘Le Bois Marquis’ is a semi-evergreen bush with red wood, decorative all year round. This variety originates from the arboretum du Bois Marquis in France and was awarded at Courson in 2007 for its ornamental beauty. It bears bronze foliage in spring, which turns coppery-red in autumn and winter. In May and June, 10 cm clusters of pale pink-white flowers appear and are followed by red berries that turn black. Compact and well ramified, it reaches up to 2.5 metres in height and spreads to 2 metres. It establishes in sun or partial shade, in cool soil and is hardy down to −20 °C. It can be used in a border, as a hedge or planted in a large container on a terrace.
In a border, pair this viburnum with tulips and Berberis, choosing bright colours or shades that echo its foliage.
The trilobed viburnum - Viburnum trilobum 'Bailey Compact', from orange to purplish crimson
The trilobed viburnum – Viburnum trilobum ‘Bailey Compact’ is a small bush with a bushy habit and foliage offering a whole palette of colours in autumn, from green to orange and crimson-purple. From May to June, it produces a flowering of flattened white corymbs, which then give way to decorative redcurrant-coloured berries in autumn. Of modest size, it can reach up to 1.5 metres in height and spread to the same width. Undemanding in terms of soil, this bush needs sun and cool, moist soil to thrive. It is hardy down to −34 °C.
Plant it in a compact hedge, pairing it with other viburnums that have staggered flowering times.
To learn more
Other viburnums with autumn-coloured foliage are also attractive, such as the trilobed viburnum – Viburnum trilobum ‘Wentworth’, the Viburnum – Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’, the wayfaring viburnum – Viburnum lantana, Viburnum lucidum – shining viburnum and Viburnum odoratissimum ‘Coppertop’ – fragrant viburnum.
For more information on growing viburnums, see our full fact sheet on planting and caring for viburnums.
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