Flat white flowerheads ride along horizontal branches, layer above layer, which is how the doublefile viburnum (Viburnum plicatum v. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’) earned its nickname of wedding cake shrub. It reaches around 8 feet, its deciduous leaves colouring in autumn, and it repays ordinary well-drained soil out of harsh sun with an unforgettable spring display.
| Name | Viburnum plicatum v. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’ |
|---|---|
| Family | Adoxaceae (formerly Caprifoliaceae) |
| Type | shrub |
| Height | 8 feet (2.5 m) |
| Exposure | full sun or part sun |
| Soil | ordinary, well drained |
| Foliage | deciduous |
| Flowering | mid-spring to early summer |
Planting, caring for it and pruning contribute a lot to the proper growth of the Viburnum plicatum Mariesii.
Preferably in fall or in spring for specimens purchased in pots or in containers.
No pruning is formally required, but you may of course prune it to adjust its silhouette or reduce its size.
Wait for the blooming to end if you wish to reduce or reshape the shrub. Pruning after the blooming is over guarantees that you’ll have flowers again next year.
If you prune too late, as in end of summer or fall, you’ll risk cutting off flower-bearing branches.
‘Mariesii’ is the best known of the doublefile viburnums, but several close relatives are just as widely sold and differ mainly in size and in how long the white flowers last.
| Variety | Height | Flowering | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Summer Snowflake’ | 6 ft (2 m) | late spring through summer | small gardens, long-season interest |
| ‘Shasta’ | 6 ft (2 m), twice as wide | mid-spring to late spring | strongly tiered, wedding-cake effect |
| ‘Lanarth’ | 10 ft (3 m) | mid-spring to late spring | larger gardens, back of a shrub bed |
The floating reams of spring flowers earned this particular viburnum a spot-on nickname: the “wedding cake shrub”.
Indeed, each layer seems more beautiful than the next, with levels of wonderfully detailed flowers.
Plant Mariesii as a stand-alone to maximize its impact on the garden and landscaping. Underneath it, pair it with other white flowers that bloom around the same period, such as white muscari, white daffodils or white tulips.
The ‘Mariesii’ viburnum is a very beautiful shrub which has a blooming as magnificent in spring as its foliage is in fall.
As part of a flowered hedge, as a standalone or in shrub beds, its growing and maintenance is easy.
Also part of the Viburnum family is laurestine or Viburnum tinus which is often found in our gardens. Another, the ‘Watanabe’ doublefile japanese snowball, has a blooming that lasts for a very long time, from May to October.
Read also on shrubs:
Avoid locations that are too exposed to harsh sun.
