Does the fruit stay red or turn blue/black such as on a type like 'Shasta' ?

Stays red

Here, fruit will turn black when fully ripe, but the birds generally get it before then. The pedicels are still attractive reddish before they, too, dry and turn black.

Always glad to hear that the birds will be eating up the berries. I want my birds happy and I want to make it a bird berry buffet around here.

Bought two more V. trilobum 'Wentworth' at the local nursery half price sales this fall. Now I am thinking I should have gotten the V. sargentii Onondaga this fall to hopefully have blooms in the spring to pollinate and set berries on the V. trilobum. I am done puting stuff in this year, just have to start the craziness of planting again next spring.

I did notice a couple of berries the other day on my Onondaga. They were black.

Mine has had a strange growth pattern. Unfortunately, my husband unintentionally took off a branch it when it was smaller (he got a little too close with the lawn tractor and trailer). After that, it decided to grow straight upward and is over 6' tall but only about 3' wide. It has rewarded us well in the springtime with its burgundy foliage and the lovely flower buds and flowers. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys interesting colors and textures in the yard. I looking forward to it filling out and I know that I could have pinched the stems and gotten more branching, but I thought it was better to let it and nature work on the form for now.

I look forward to next year with my viburnums in the yard. This fall I added to the dozen or so that I already have by going to the 'on sale' area of an excellent nursery about 50 miles north of us. I bought a Wentworth v. trilobum (my first of that ilk--I DO hope that it will fruit for me...otherwise, I may be on the lookout for more...), a Viburnum bracteatum ÂEmerald LusterÂ, a couple of v. juddii, a Viburnum x rhytidophylloides 'Willowwood', 4 more Viburnum x rhytidophylloides and a Viburnum carlesii 'Aurora'. They are all in the ground and hopefully settling in well in their new homes.

I am glad i planted a onondaga last spring, after reading all this. but it seems i need another variety for berries. If I plant trilobum, for example, in my front yard, while the onondaga is in the back, will this be okay? I mean, how close must they be? I do have a small garden, on the island of montreal. and what about my summer snowflake? does it also need cross-fertilization?

That would be fine rebaru. Closer, of course, is better, but I have had heavy berry production with relatives far away. They should bloom at similar times. As for 'Summer Snowflake', don't worry about fruit production. Enjoy the extended flower show.

Well, I messed up as Fairweather had this in the Fall, and last Spring, I think, but they don't have it this spring.

Still on the wish list to get.

I found this locally today and it is just beautiful! I hope it does well here.

I have V. Onondaga and I haven't had many berries because I don't have a pollinator. I'd like to get a V. opulus or V. trilobum, but they would have to be dwarf ones. Which cultivars of these would you recommend for dwarf size and good fruit production?

newyorkrita,
I don't know where you're located and if would be doable for you to travel but I was able to buy beautiful 'Onondaga' (in late fall)
in Condursos which is in Morris county NJ. They do have pretty good selection of 4-5Â Viburnums.
Peter
P.S If you need directions, sent me an e-mail.

Thanks, I will keep looking at the Long Island Nurseries this year. Maybe I will get lucky. I am deffinately going to add this Viburnum to my yard, it's just a question of when.

I found an Onondaga today at a local stand. I'm trying to decide where to put it. I had saved a spot between two trilobums for Wentworth (which I don't have) and now wondering if I should put Onondaga there. Would the trilobums outgrow it too much? They would be about 6 or 7 feet apart. Maybe it would get squished in the middle.
I'm also wondering if the berries are edible. It might be confusing since the leaves are similar to trilobum. If I make jelly out of the berries will I croak?
Hey Rita - I actually have a viburnum that you don't have yet! Amazing! lol - I would love to see your yard.

I guess I did get carried away with the Viburnums last year. Still, I am pretty much done collecting them. Onondaga is one still on my must have list to get plus I need to get a 'Huron' (V. dilatatum cross) to pollinate my 'Chipewa'.

There's no such thing as "getting carried away" when it comes to planting viburnums. That's like saying you've had too much chocolate (ow, Marianne just swatted me).

Kevin is the guy to ask about what all the viburnum fruits taste like, esp. the northerly species. He's done the yuck testing. I don't have any luck with V. trilobum and its ilk here in KY, but I'm still trying (but haven't had the fruit to taste yet). I can only vouch for V. dilatatum fruit, which is tart but tasty in its large clusters in December.

I too am enamored of the V. sargentii Onondaga as I have three of them sited in a grouping within a ten foot area. However, these beauties are possibly short lived as they are getting *bored* to death. Husband found two stems on one plant infected with the dreaded borer, of what kind we do not know. The telltale symptoms... wilt, holes in the base of the stems and the undeniable evidence the white grub itself. What's to be done as it is the middle of May and timing is so critical with these things.

Danmacbet,
What state do you live in? (I hope it's not near me as I just purchased a V. s. 'Onondaga').

Kevin_5 or VV should be able to help you. They are the GW Viburnum gurus.
Thanks,
Mike

I just saw a lovely Onondaga at the nursery but hesitated to buy it as I had never heard of it. I had to check here first to be sure it was as promising as I hoped . I will go back and get it for sure!!!

It barely looked like a virburnum... it had a very delicate look and gorgeous tinted foliage and those flowers...like a lacecap hydrangea... Maybe I need to get 3....

Any special siting requirements to get that gorgeous tinted foliage (which I assume is only a spring thing)?

I have berries forming on my Onondaga now and my viburnum trilobums so it must've worked on pollinating them. The two viburnums are clones of each other and I only had one berry last year.

vib.onondaga is my fav. of all my vib's.along with shasta.
do want to tell nyrita that both mine are 8-10 feet tall and 6 feet wide after 7 yrs. in full sun.

Humm.. 8-10 feet huh??? Good thing I have pruning shears. Yikes! Anyway, the spot I have picked out for it is more shady than sunny so maybe it won't grow as fast. Of course, I still have to find one. You would think they would have this one at some of the local nurseries but so far, no luck.

I just picked up 3 'Onondaga' in one gallon pots at Lowes--$6.96 each, along with 'Mariesii' and 'Emerald Triumph'. A bargain!

Kevin- I am jealous, our local Lowes has the worst Garden section. Forget getting anything there. Haven't seen them at Home Depot either although you never know what might show up there. The thing with Home Depot is that you have to go there every two days if you want shrubs because things come in and get sold out that quickly. Lately I just haven't been going there much so I am sure I missed things.

Christie- How is your Onondaga Viburnum doing? I still don't have one! Can you believe it, but I only bought ONE Viburnum this year, a fragrant Viburnum 'Dawn' that I got at the local Home Depot this Spring.

Rita - Surely you're starting to run out of room! My Onondaga was in a gallon pot when I bought it but it didn't have a lot of roots in there. It's put out some new growth though and should be big enough to make it through the winter. I'm anxious to see if it has good fall color. I think the new growth in the spring is supposed to be colorful too. It did a good job pollinating my trilobums for as small as it was. Next year should be even better.

My onadaga is really nice in spring but seems to be burned up by July. do they need shade?

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find an Onondaga at the end of the season sales. Now to hope that Fairweather Gardens carries it next Spring again as they have had it in the past but just not this season.

I am also wanting this so as a pollinator for my 'Wentworth' which did not set too much fruit this year.

I know I have really gone overboard on adding viburnums since I discovered them but this year my plan is to see what flowers and produces berries and then look for pollinators for any that need it.

Well, I never got a Fairweather Garden Catalog this Sring, in spite of the fact that I have spent much money there last year, so I STILL don't have an Onondaga. Bummer!

The viburnum wish list continues.

And still continues.

I'm seriously considering 'Onondaga,' as it is available at a local nursery, and I've heard nothing but good things about it. No one has answered my other post, so I will ask here: Will a V. Dentatum (I have 'Blue muffin' and 'Red Feather') cross-polinate with V. Sargentii? Even if the the V. dentatum is in the back yard, and the 'Onondaga' in the front yard?

LNMP: haven't seen your other post, but V. dentatum and V. sargentii are not good partners, and may not even overlap in bloom times.

V. sargentii is most similar to V. trilobum and V. opulus, so cultivars/clones of those two species (or another different clone of V. sargentii) would be your most appropriate choice.

Blue Muffin and Red Feather are good partners to give you heavy fruiting on your V. dentatum.

I still want one but maybe I don't need one of these as badly as I thought I did as my Wentworths did set berries this year for the first time.

Well, Rita? Did you get the long-sought after fruit?

And/or did you just dispense with the idea of procuring a V. sargentii 'Onondaga'?

There are more clones out there to be had. In fact, despite the generally poor performance of this group in the humid high soil temperature south, I now have both V. s. 'Chiquita' and V. s. 'Flavum' ensconced in the Viburnum Valley collection. I thought I had 'Onondaga', but it turned out to be a mislabeled member of the V. dilatatum clan, probably 'Oneida'. I expect to get 'Onondaga', 'Susquehanna', and 'Calvescens' in the future, to round out the collection. I have V. trilobum Redwing now also, to add to the intrigue.

God willing and the bunnies don't rise, I'll have blooming plants in the spring.

bump

The Wentworths did set some fruit last year. First time ever. They are all starting to flower now and my V. Opulus is going to flower heavily for the first time ever. Its slightly behind the Wentworths though, so I hope it all works out.

I am going to have to bite the bullet this winter and order from Forest Farm if Fairweather doesn't have the Viburnums that I still need (including this one).

I still haven't gotten one and this one plus a pollinator for my Chipewa V, are the last of my wish list.

we have a few babies up here in boston if you're up this way. email cottonarboretum@comcast.net

best,
mindy

This is a very old thread, but in case anyone is still looking for another sargentii to cross pollinate their Onandaga, try a Viburnum Sargentii Chiquita, its a smaller sized one. I got one and its very cute so far. ... I ordered Onandaga and the nursery shipped the wrong viburnum...a popcorn! So now my Onandaga is on its way, and hopefully will make the winter, its small they say.

Mine always looked burned up by fall. What are its water requirements?
I suspect it needs full, full sun. Very few berries after growing 6 years and having lots of viburnum cousins in the area.

I have a lovely new Viburnum 'Onondaga' and found this thread because I was wondering what to buy for a pollinator. After reading this thread, I am wondering why I shouldn't buy a second 'Onondaga' and use it as a pollinator, instead of having to buy a different cultivar or a related species???

You need to get a different plant that is related - not an identical clone - to achieve quality cross-pollination.

If you have 'Onondaga', then 'Chiquita' is a good partner.

Another year or two later....I acquired the pollinator Chiquita for my two Onandagas, and I have to strongly recommend Chiquita. It is ever so much more attractive through to winter whereas the Onandagas look "fried" by mid-summer - I just can't keep them watered enough. Chiquita sets more fruit also, though disappointingly, not a lot of fruit set. I think it's because the two barely overlap in bloom.

This is my Onondaga. Never fruits. I must need Chiquita!

Drop dead gorgeous Onandaga flowers! My Chiquita and Onandaga fruit every year for me, though not prolifically. They are planted right next to each other and one would think that would make for great pollination and lots of berries, but at least in my garden, they don't bloom completely in synch. By the time Chiquita comes into bloom Onandaga is nearly done. Of the two Chiquita has the prettiest berries.

Hi Echo! I've not heard of 'Chiquita' I will look it up/