Viburnum plicatum Japanese Snowball

A large, floriferous shrub with showy inflorescences made up of sterile flowers on the outside with large petals and smaller fertile flowers in the centre. It looks like a large form of Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) but the inflorescences are larger and the leaves are not lobed and have prominant pleating along the veins (plicatum means pleated). It is often planted for amenity along roads and in parks where it can put on outstanding displays. The horticultural variety that is commonly planted is called Mariesii (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum). It is native to China and Japan and does not occur as a naturalised species in West Glamorgan.