Spice Baby Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii 'Spice Baby')
vy-BURN-um kar-LESS-ee-eye 'Spice Baby'

Deciduous Perennial Shrub in the Adoxaceae Family
Discover the compact charm of Spice Baby Viburnum, a delightful dwarf variety that bursts with fragrant white flowers in spring. Its lush foliage turns brilliant shades of red and purple in the fall, perfect for small gardens and landscapes!

'Spice Baby' is a compact, dwarf selection of Koreanspice Viburnum from the Proven Winners ColorChoice program, bred to deliver the species' famous spicy fragrance on a much smaller frame. Rounded clusters of pink buds open to fragrant white flowers in mid spring, followed by dark green summer foliage that turns red-purple in fall. At roughly 3.5 to 5 feet tall and wide, it fits easily into foundation plantings and smaller gardens where the full-size species would be too large. Best in full sun to partial sun with evenly moist, well-drained soil; plant with a second Koreanspice Viburnum nearby to encourage fruit set.

Pros

  • Same intoxicating spicy fragrance as the species, on a compact frame
  • Fragrant white flowers from pink buds in mid spring
  • Good red-purple fall color
  • Deer resistant

Cons

  • Needs a second Koreanspice Viburnum nearby for best fruit set
  • Prefers consistently moist, well-drained soil
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 4 - 5 feet tall. 4 - 5 feet wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 5a - 8b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Deer Resistant, Fall Color, Fall interest, Formal Garden, Foundation, Fragrant, Fragrant Flowers, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Dried Flowers, Good for Hedges, Good for Mass Planting, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Native to Asia, Normal Soil, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Shrub, Shrub, Thrillers, Tolerant of Acidic Soil, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period April - May
Flower Color White
 

Most Popular Plants
 

Absolutely Easy Garden Recipes that include Spice Baby Viburnum

 

More Info from Experts
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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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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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!