David's viburnum

Family Caprifoliaceae. Native to Western China.

Dwarf evergreen shrub about 1 m tall, with horizontally growing, symmetrically arranged shoots. The crown is compact. Grows slowly. In cultivation its height is 0.5-0.8 m. The crown diameter is twice that. The leaves are very decorative: leathery, evergreen, opposite, elliptic, 7-15 cm long, up to 8 cm wide, dark green. Characteristic are the deep parallel veins. The flowers are white-pink, borne in umbel-like inflorescences up to 8 cm in diameter. Blooms in June. The fruits are 6 mm long, of an unusual blue color, ripen in October.

Light-demanding, but tolerates partial shade. Protection is required from drying east winds and the winter morning sun. It often suffers from sunscald. Grows on moderately dry or moist, moderately fertile, loamy, well-drained, slightly alkaline soils. In Europe cultivated since 1904.