Mrs. Schiller Walter's Viburnum or Small-leaf Arrowwood Viburnum. This is a very compact selection of our Southeast native Walter's viburnum made by Florida plantsman Steve Riefler. Dirr says that in UGA trials, this cultivar has been the most dwarf, 14" by 3' in 3 years. The species can reach small tree proportions in the wild, with this cultivar appearing to remain under 4'. But it can easily be maintained under 2' with some light pruning. It grows well in sun or part shade, with sun producing a more dense and compact growth habit. In the wild one may observe them growing in damp to wet areas, but in cultivation in a wet area, one should plant them on top of a mound and then let their roots seek their own level. But its most endearing feature is its flowers. In the fall it sets flowering cymes which will begin opening on warm spells throughout the winter, later opening in their full glory of 2-3" across and lightly fragrant. I have grown several compact cultivars, but this one seems to me to be the most cold hardy and has the best flower set at a young age. Some authorities say that this might even be a zone 6 plant, but I would mainly recommend it for zones 7b-9, possibly zone 10.
