ID Large Shrub, White Flowers in Spring

[rockc1402]

Hi. I have a very large shrub on the corner of my house that has been there since before I moved in, so I'm not sure what it is. I added a few photos, but all the photos of the whole shrub are too large to upload. It goes all the way up to the top of where my first story ends. The top of the shrub/tree ends right about where the floor of my second story probably is, so it is pretty tall. The bark on the older growth is kind of flaky while the newer limbs have pretty smooth bark. In the Spring it produces little light pink buds that ultimately flower into small clusters of white flowers as pictured. It only just started blooming in the last week this year. I live in zone 6a (Pittsburgh area), if that helps at all for identification. The leaves are pictured too. I hope that helps. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

[rainbowgardener]

Pretty sure it is some kind of viburnum. Here's a picture of one:



There's lots of different viburnum species, some are called snowball viburnums; I think you can see why.

Are those flowers fragrant?. The viburnum I had before we moved would perfume the whole yard when it bloomed.

Yours is not looking very healthy. It should be a lot leafier than that.

This is a different species than yours, but just to give you the idea:

[rockc1402]

Thanks Rainbowgardener! You are always so helpful! I think you are right about Viburnum. It may not be very healthy. The POs didn't do much with the landscaping so I have spent the last several years slowly ripping out and replacing things. I finally have everything looking pretty good except this shrub and an old tree in the back, which will probably be ripped out in a few years if it doesn't die first. I am actually okay with this Viburnum being a little sparse, to be honest, because I have a bay window just behind it and a chair that sits in the bay window area. If it was really leafy and full I would have to cut it out because it would cover and hide the window. This gives some privacy without covering it completely. If it dies at some point I will have to think about replacing it. It probably wouldn't have been my pick to plant here but I don't really want to rip it out and replace it right now. I'm just trying to do what I can with it. Now that I know what it is, hopefully that will help me with knowing how to care for it. Thanks again.

[catgrass]

Prune it after it flowers and it will become a little bushier. You can maintain it's size by pruning every year. It really is a beautiful shrub.

[rainbowgardener]

Yes, viburnum is one of my favorite shrubs, which I often recommend. I have already planted one in my new yard.

They are native, they are easy to grow and adaptable to a wide range of sun and soil conditions, come in a range of sizes, the flowers are fragrant, butterflies and native bees like them, including they are host plant for the spring azure butterfly, After the flowers are done, they make berries which are food for gamebirds, songbirds and small mammals. Birds that are attracted to viburnum include Eastern Bluebird, Northern Flicker, Gray Catbird, and American Robin. Those berries are edible for people too, if the birds leave you any.