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Dawn Viburnum (Viburnum x bodnantense), whole plant
  • Dawn Viburnum — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Dawn Viburnum — seasonal appearance
  • Dawn Viburnum in a garden setting

Dawn Viburnum

Viburnum x bodnantense

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Dawn Viburnum

Bodnant Viburnum is a vigorous deciduous shrub growing 8-10 feet tall, a hybrid between V. farreri and V. grandiflorum created at Bodnant Garden in Wales. It combines the best qualities of both parents: clusters of intensely fragrant deep rose-pink flowers that appear on bare branches from November through March in mild climates. More upright and vigorous than V. farreri with darker pink flowers. 'Dawn' is the most widely grown cultivar and considered the finest winter-flowering shrub in cultivation.

  • Fragrant
  • Cold-hardy
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to -10°F (-23°C)
USDA hardiness zones 6–8

How to care for Dawn Viburnum

Watering

  • Springevery 7 days
  • Summerevery 5 days
  • Fallevery 10 days
  • Winterevery 21 days

Soil · Rich & loamy

  • Top dressingBark mulch15%
  • Main mixRich loam + compost 3:170%
  • DrainageGravel15%

Use fully finished compost — fresh compost burns roots.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 30 days
Get watering reminders for Dawn Viburnum — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • Height8–10 ft (2.4–3 m)
  • Spread6–8 ft (1.8–2.4 m)
  • Flower colorPink, White
  • Foliage colorGreen, Red, Bronze
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained
  • LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

Nov–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Deep rose-pink fragrant clusters November to March on bare branches

Fragrance

STRONG FRAGRANCE

Powerful sweet clove-vanilla-heliotrope fragrance in winter bloom.

Toxicity

Humans Slight · Pets Slight

Unknown toxic principle

Slight

  • Fruit
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating fruit.

EFFECT Mild GI upset.

NOTE Documented concern for humans: Mild GI upset.

Slight

  • Fruit
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating fruit.

EFFECT Mild GI upset.

NOTE Not on ASPCA toxic list.

Slight

  • Fruit
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating fruit.

EFFECT Mild GI upset.

NOTE Not on ASPCA toxic list.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

History

Illustrated historical scene for Dawn Viburnum

Viburnum x bodnantense originated at Bodnant Garden in the Conwy Valley of North Wales, where head gardener Charles Puddle crossed V. farreri with the Himalayan V. grandiflorum around 1935. The hybrid was named in honor of the garden. Three selections were made from the original cross, all released in the 1940s-50s: 'Dawn' (the best known, with rich pink flowers), 'Charles Lamont' (named for a Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh horticulturist, with cleaner pink), and 'Deben' (with white flowers tinged pink).

All three combine the winter-flowering habit and strong fragrance of V. farreri with the larger flower size and richer pink coloring of V. grandiflorum, and are more vigorous than either parent. Clusters of pink-budded flowers open on bare branches from November through March in mild winters, emitting a powerful clove-vanilla fragrance.

Named an RHS Award of Garden Merit plant. The upright shrub reaches 3-4 meters and has become one of the most widely planted winter-flowering shrubs in temperate gardens around the world.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Viburnum × bodnantense carries renewal, its fragrant pink flowers emerging from bare winter branches as though hope had decided to bloom out of season. Its heritage runs through Bodnant Garden in Wales, one of the world's most celebrated gardens, where this hybrid was born. To grow it is to keep both winter perfume and a piece of garden lineage close — a flower that refuses to wait for spring.

  • Renewal — fragrant flowers emerge from bare winter branches
  • Heritage — born in one of the world's most celebrated gardens

Where the Name Comes From

'Bodnantense' refers to Bodnant Garden in Wales, where this hybrid was first raised in 1935.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Pink flower clusters perfume mild winter days with sweet scent
  • Winter-flowering viburnum as scented anchor of winter borders

Related plants

More Viburnum plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Dawn Viburnum?

In summer, water about every 5 days; in winter, about every 21 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Dawn Viburnum need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Dawn Viburnum toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Slight (Dogs Slight · Cats Slight) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Dawn Viburnum easy to grow?

Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.

When does Dawn Viburnum bloom?

It typically blooms Nov–Mar in the Northern Hemisphere.

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