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Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Kern's Pink'
Japanese Snowball Viburnum
Plant Type:
DECIDUOUS SHRUBSViburnum plicatum f. tomentosum ‘Kern's Pink’ (syn. ‘Pink Sensation’) – This is a beautiful stable form of the Japanese Snowball Viburnum with showy rounded cymes consistently pink or white-maturing pink. Foliage emerges distinctly bronze-purple and retains some of the bronzing in the foliage throughout the growing season. Leaves turn rich red-purple in the autumn. We were briefly enamored with ‘Mary Milton’ with its lovely coral infusion in the pink flowers. But ‘Mary Milton’ had a wicked tendency towards reversions, not nearly as stable as ‘Kern’s Pink’. In our estimation ‘Pink Sensation’ a.k.a. ‘Kern’s Pink’ is a much better plant. Sorry, Mary.
Characteristics and Attributes for Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Kern's Pink'
Season of Interest (Flowering)
- Spring
Season of Interest (Foliage)
- Spring / Summer / Autumn
Autumn Interest
- Autumn Leaf Color
Nature Attraction
- Deer Resistant
- Honey Bees & Native Bees
Light
- Full Sun
Attributes
- Specimen
- Hedgerow
- Hedge
Growth Rate in the Garden
- Moderately Fast
Soil
- Fertile
Origins
- Garden Origin
Propagated By
- Cutting Grown
Genus Overview: Viburnum
Common Name: Viburnum
Viburnum. This genus is full of fantastic, multi-season garden worthy shrubs. Garden heroes. Spring flowers, often large and showy, many with heady sweet fragrance are arranged in cymes. Some smell of musk (Viburnum dilatatum) while others produce no fragrance at all. Flowers are followed with berries. If late season and autumn berries are desired then planting two of a species will ensure fruit set; for instance, Viburnum dilatatum 'Erie' and V. dilatatum 'Michael Dodge' will pollinate each other and produce fruit. Viburnum cassinoides is closely allied with V. nudum; but if the flowering times do not overlap then there will be no fruit. However, if you plant V. nudum 'Winterthur' in proximity with V. nudum var. angustifolium, 'Longwood', 'Moonshine' or 'Pink Beauty' berries will abound. Another interesting example is V. lantana which crosses with V. burejaeticum and vice versa. Any V. plicatum f. tomentosum selection such as 'Shasta' or 'Shoshoni' will pollinate with all other V. plicatum f. tomentosum selections like 'Copper Ridges or 'Pink Beauty'. But if you were to plant two 'Shasta' side by side with no other V. plicatum f. tomentosum in near proximity then your effort will be fruitless. As with almost all in the universe of plants there are exceptions. There is one viburnum which appears to be self-fruitful, Viburnum setigerum the Tea Viburnum. Another interesting exception to the rule is Viburnum nudum 'Pink Beauty' which is also self-fruitful - a departure from its siblings. And on the other spectrum are two I can think of off-hand that are barren, Viburnum plicatum 'Roseum' and Viburnum plicatum 'Kern's Pink'. Oftentimes, the dwarf viburnums reamin in a juvenile state and do not produce fruit. All Viburnum of any size that do produce fruit are magnificent in the late season garden. And they feed all manner of birds. Larger, denser shrubs provide cover and nesting opportunities. Nearly all Viburnum have terrific autumn foliage colors, too. Viburnums are members of Caprifoliaceae. All prefer part to full sun and fertile soils. All are cutting grown. Many thanks to Gary Ladman of Classic Viburnums who generously set us straight regarding some of the details we had originally incorrectly lauded... ya can't know everything!