How tall do Viburnum Tinus Compacta get?

The tag says 5' but is this a plant that will keep growing? I'm looking for privacy screening that's going to get 7-8' tall. Someone suggested Viburnum Tinus. A local nursery has a 25 gallon "compacta". Will it get 7' at least? Thank you.

 

They're all plants that will keep growing, no woody plant grows to a predetermined height and then remains frozen in place. There's what appears to be the Monrovia clone of 'Compactus' in Edmonds that I figure to be at least 8' tall. (Other cultivars have also been on the local market in later years as 'Compactus'; the Monrovia version is what was seen under the name for a long time before this, is therefore what I think of as the true plant merely because of this history).

Spring Bouquet Laurustinus - Monrovia - Spring Bouquet Laurustinus

 

Good to know! Thank you. I did some reading last night and came across a discussion in which there was some agreement that this plant doesn't smell too good. Reminds people of dirty socks. That makes me nervous so gonna have to pass on this one.

 

I've only gotten a noticeable smell from a Viburnum tinus that had been cut back at an apparently unsuitable time, had mildew on the replacement shoots.

 

I like the Spring Bouquet viburnum.

Yrs ago at previous home in Vancouver BC area near ocean, I researched and planted one or two

It had morning sun yr round - afternoon shade. Some water. A foundation planting against a tall house.

I think it was around 6 feet tall --- it was narrow and tall. But I just let it grow as it pleased.

I especially liked that at around Cdn Thxgiving and for sure Christmas, I could pick some of the branches and make seasonal flower arrangements - the dark almost metallic blue berries were beautiful --- tho I don't know if safe around pets and / or children. We all lived.

I recall it took minimal care overall (pruning, water, no leaf spots or pests etc) We did not have deer

It was in a spot that also was good for vine maple, hosta, sword fern, plus aucuba japonica "gold dust?" (spell?) and a fatsia japonica. The latter 2 are not my fav but I think they already well established in garden and it was handy for some tropical look leaves for floral use.

I do NOT recall any foul odor from Spring Bouquet and it was outside a window that was slightly ajar yr round for fresh air.

seeing the original post here reminded me that maybe I "need" another Spring Bouquet in current garden! A "reason" to go to plant store.

 

Thank you for sharing that Georgia. Maybe Monrovia (or whoever) bred the stink out of the original and gave it a new name to suggest not stinky? :D

 

here are some good photos on an OSU Corvallis Oregon website

Viburnum tinus | Landscape Plants | Oregon State University

the first picture showing flower and fruit (berry) is very accurate to my recollection. The flower and fruit would be present at same time in the autumn in my garden.

I suppose your first move could be to go to a plant nursery now (or look around in other gardens) and do some sniff-tests while there are still flowers present.

 

I did see one a few days at a nursery. It was lovely! I was pretty excited that I had finally found my 7' broadleaf evergreen, but then I read about the stink. Do you recall how quickly yours grew? The one I saw was a 5 gallon, maybe 2' tall. But I have little patience for it to grow to 6'+ so thought I'd look for a bigger one.

 

Well, I think Spring Bouquet has the same smelling issue. Some people say it's decaying fallen leaves, others say it's in May, and some say it's on hot days or wet days. I don't think it's a good choice for us.

 

I like instant garden too --- I think it was a fairly fast height grower. Maybe it was yr 3 I really liked it. I was trying to make the narrow space between 2 tall houses aesthetically pleasing because neighbor suggested a solid fence (ouch! - barely 4 legal feet each side of a wood fence) --- so I promised I would garden it up on our side to make the Mrs Neighbor happier and they keep the easy-care hardscape on their side. No fence happened - phew.

rate --- Not fast like how a hydrangea can be cut back (at the right time) to 1/3 and grows back to 3/3 by end of summer (I'm looking at my endless summer hydrangea "blushing bride" as I type - btw highly recommend for coastal Vanc BC -- mine is approx 4 x 4 feet in rich soil, well drained, morning shade, some hot direct afternoon sun then late afternoon to sunset shade --- but not broadleaf evergreen.)

And not slow like a traditional rhodo. Or salal (i like salal in a garden)

One thing I also recall is that Viburnum Spring Bouquet was a clean broadleaf evergreen --- the fruit just fell in the garden (not big mushy mess like Holly (ilex) or local Mtn Ash or chestnuts) - and no major leaf drop (like native arbutus that are slippery leaves on the ground - tho obviously a beautiful local tree)

 

The laurustinus feline odor comes from the foliage and not the flowers. I only smelled it when I had one that was covered in mildew because it had been cut back (at a time when the replacement growth was not able to mature properly, picked up therefore the mildew).

 

oh - a feline odor as in spray in the house. No I don't recall that on the Spring Bouquet plants I had - yet I do know a cat marking spray odor from some places. It's certainly not a pleasant odor.

our plants were somewhat sheltered and I never sheared them or spray watered etc (we had a drip system that usually I forgot to turn to the 'on' position.)

then again - I am someone who likes the brief sniff of boxwood foliage and the peppery scent of Russell lupin flowers and so forth. (old reminders of grandparent gardens decades ago)