Plant of the Month January - Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn'

In January we’re placing a vividly colourful winter bloomer in the spotlight: the Arrowwood Dawn. Just as most plants are going to sleep, the Arrowwood begins to bloom. This takes place from November through to April, depending on the year’s weather conditions.

 

A feast for the eyes in the coldest time of the year

The leaves of the Arrowwood are long and lance-shaped and arranged in bushels. Their colour is a summery green, the leaf stalks are red, and in the autumn the leaf covering turns through a beautiful red to a dark violet, with its buds a dark pink. The blossoms with their quintet of leaves grow into umbrella-shaped panicles, in a delicate rosey white. They release an aromatic fragrance that’s beloved by insects as much as people: which makes it no surprise that the Arrowwood Dawn is often to be found planted along paths and by garden seats.

 

Expansive, bushy and perfect before green hedges

The Arrowwood Dawn grows around 20 cm each year and reaches a height of between 2 and 2,5 metres, while it grows to a diameter of around 2,5 metres. The lower branches grow stiffly upright, are sparsely branched and become expansive and bushy later on. The plant is a real eye-catcher, especially when combined with a green hedge.

 

The optimal soil, location and cut for the Arrowwood Dawn

The shrub is generally tolerant of a variety of soils, it’s winter-hardy and has no problem with a city climate. It prefers a sandy to loamy and fresh, moist soil, rich in humus and lightly acidic to alkaline. A porous soil is best, in order to avoid unwanted waterlogging.

The location should provide either sun or semi-shade, and ideally be protected from the wind. Important to remember is that, as the plant tends to form runners, it should be planted at a distance to other plants, fences, walls or buildings.

The Arrowwood usually only needs to be trimmed when it’s necessary to remove dead wood or to retain a particular shape. Trimming should take place after the flowering period.