Chicago Lustre Arrowwood Viburnum

Chicago Lustre Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum 'Synnestvedt')

Chicago Lustre Arrowwood Viburnum is a large, glossy-leaved shrub that builds a dense green wall for privacy and a finished backdrop in mixed borders. It brings a clean spring flower display, then follows with blue to blue-black berries that keep the plant interesting as the season shifts. The upright, rounded habit fills in well without looking stiff, so it works in both natural and more designed landscapes. If you want a reliable screening shrub with strong foliage presence and seasonal highlights, this viburnum is an easy fit.

Distinctive Features

This arrowwood viburnum is prized for its bright, shiny green foliage and dense, multi-stemmed form that reads as a substantial landscape shrub. Flat-topped clusters of small white flowers bloom in late spring to early summer, followed by blue-black fruit in late summer to fall when cross-pollination is available. Summer leaves hold a rich green look, and fall color is variable, often showing yellow and sometimes warmer red to purple tones depending on conditions. Overall, it combines strong screening value with a polished finish and better-than-average fruiting for an arrowwood selection.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade, with best density, flowering, and fruiting in full sun.
• Soil: Average to moist, well-drained soil is ideal, and it adapts to loam and clay when drainage is reasonable.
• Water: Moderate water to establish, then average moisture with deep watering during extended dry periods.
• USDA Zones: Zones 3 to 8.
• Mature Size: About 10 to 12 feet tall and about 8 to 10 feet wide.
• Habit: Upright to rounded, multi-stemmed, and dense.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use as a bold anchor where the glossy foliage and late-season berries create a clear seasonal highlight.
• Screening: Plant in rows or staggered groupings to create privacy and soften property lines.
• Informal Hedges: Use as a tall hedge that feels natural while still looking finished.
• Back-of-Border Structure: Place behind perennials and smaller shrubs to add depth and a clean green backdrop.
• Mixed Shrub Borders: Combine with evergreens and flowering shrubs for layered texture and season-long presence.
• Wildlife Plantings: Include where flowers support pollinators and fruit can support birds in late summer and fall.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune right after flowering if shaping is needed, since next season's blooms form on older wood.
• Watering: Water regularly the first growing season, then supplement during drought to keep growth steady and foliage healthy.
• Mulching: Mulch to conserve moisture and protect roots while keeping mulch pulled back from the stems.
• Feeding: Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak, since average soils are usually sufficient.
• Pest Monitoring: Watch for viburnum leaf beetle in regions where it is present and respond early if chewing damage appears.

Why Choose Chicago Lustre Arrowwood Viburnum?

• Glossy Foliage: Shiny deep green leaves give borders a polished, finished look all season.
• Privacy Value: Dense branching and large size create effective screening without a rigid, formal feel.
• Blue Fruit Display: Blue to blue-black berries add late-season interest and support birds when pollination is present.
• Adaptable Performance: Handles a range of soils and conditions once established, making it dependable in residential landscapes.
• Seasonal Layers: Spring flowers, summer structure, and fall interest keep it valuable beyond basic greenery.

Give Chicago Lustre Arrowwood Viburnum sun, decent drainage, and enough space to mature, and it will settle in as a long-term backbone shrub. It looks strongest when used in repeating groups, where the dense habit reads as a unified design element. If heavy fruit is important to you, plant it near another compatible viburnum that blooms at the same time to support better berry set.