Sweet Talker Fragrant Viburnum (Viburnum 'Sweet Talker')
vy-BURN-um 'Sweet Talker'

Evergreen Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) Shrub

One of the very first shrubs to bloom in late winter/early spring. Look forward to hundreds of pink, trumpet-shaped flowers that emit a spicy honey scent, even in those first early days of spring sunshine. The rest of the year, enjoy very handsome leathery foliage that is ideal for landscaping around your home, gardens, or hedging. Foliage takes on dramatic purple-burgundy tones in cool weather. Sweet Talker viburnum was developed by legendary plant breeder Dr. Tom Ranney, who wanted to combine the beauty of early-blooming viburnums with the heat tolerance of less showy ones. 

Pros

  • Early spring flowers are sweetly fragrant
  • Handsome evergreen foliage
  • Versatile habit for landscapes or hedging
  • Fall interest

Cons

This plant is probably not winter-hardy outdoors where you live.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 8 - 10 feet tall. 3 - 5 feet wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Shade
Moisture Tolerance Medium -
Zones 7a - 8b (Usually hardy to 0° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Container, Deer Resistant, Evergreen, Fall interest, Formal Garden, Foundation, Fragrant, Fragrant Flowers, Full Shade, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Dried Flowers, Good for Hedges, Good for Mass Planting, Low Maintenance, Medium, Native to North America, Normal Soil, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Shrub, Specimen, Thrillers, Tolerant of Acidic Soil, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period Winter - Spring
Flower Color Pink
Foliage Color Green

Commonly Planted with...

Hydrangeas, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Ferns, Japanese Maple, Spirea, Periwinkle.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!


No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!