Garden Care Guide

Laurustinus Care

Viburnum tinus

A very hardy evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean climate. It tolerates drought, heat and partial shade. With its white flowers with pink buds that open in winter and spring, followed by metallic blue fruits, it is decorative all year round.

Half-hardy · -10 °C / 14 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Watering: Not required; the plant is dormant and winter rains are sufficient.
  • Pruning: Not done. It is the flowering period.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -10 °C.
February
  • Pruning: Not done. Flowering continues.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -10 °C.
March
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted organic fertilizer once when it wakes from dormancy. Because yield and fruit quality depend on nutrient balance, having a soil analysis done is especially useful for this plant.
  • Pruning: After flowering ends, the plant can be pruned to shape it and control its size.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the branches and trunk for brown, fixed bumps (scale insects).
April
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: After flowering has completely ended is the best time to prune. Late pruning destroys the flower buds for the following winter.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: Prune as soon as flowering ends. Next year's flower buds form over the summer; late pruning reduces flowering. Light shaping is done after flowering ends. On hedge forms, regular trimming is applied during the growing season. If fruit yield is desired, post-flowering pruning is preferred.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves. Check the fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water. Check the branches and trunk for brown, immobile bumps (scale insects).
June
  • Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: The fruits (green at first) continue to grow.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves. Check the fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water.
July
  • Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. Water the area around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
  • General care: Keep it in a position sheltered from midday sun; scorching at the leaf edges is a sign of burn.
August
  • Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. Water the area around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
  • General care: Metallic blue-black fruits ripen. Flower buds for the next season begin to form.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the general health of the plant.
September
  • Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
  • Pruning: ABSOLUTELY DO NOT PRUNE. Pruning this month destroys the flower buds that will open in winter.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: The plant carries both ripened blue fruits and pink flower buds that will open in winter, which makes it very decorative. It is one of the best months for planting new saplings.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves.
October
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: DO NOT PRUNE.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
November
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: DO NOT PRUNE.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Flowering begins.
December
  • Pruning: DO NOT PRUNE.
  • General care: Flowering continues. Evergreen leaves keep losing water in winter. Water thoroughly once before the soil freezes.
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -10 °C.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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