Sweet Viburnum Hedges, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Sweet viburnum is one of the most reliable fast privacy hedges in Southwest Florida: a dense, glossy evergreen that fills in quickly in sun or part shade and takes shearing well. Clusters of fragrant white flowers open in spring, followed by red berries that birds eat. It does not like salt spray, so use it a block or more back from open water. The 3 gallon size suits long hedge runs.
- Light:
- Full sun to part shade
- Water:
- Moderate; keep new plants moist, established hedges handle short dry spells
- Salt:
- Low to moderate; keep it back from direct salt spray
Sweet Viburnum sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Sweet Viburnum | 3 Gallon |
Sweet Viburnum in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 6 to 12 ft tall as a pruned hedge, 15 ft or more if left alone; 6 to 10 ft wide
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate; keep new plants moist, established hedges handle short dry spells
- Salt tolerance
- Low to moderate; keep it back from direct salt spray
- Cold tolerance
- Very hardy; SW Florida freezes rarely harm it
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Spacing
- 3 to 4 ft on center for a hedge from 3 gallon plants
- Florida native
- No
- Botanical name
- Viburnum odoratissimum
Where Sweet Viburnum works in a SW Florida yard
Use sweet viburnum for a tall, solid green wall: a privacy screen along a back fence, a buffer between neighbors or a backdrop for flowering shrubs. Planted 3 to 4 ft apart, it closes into a hedge you can shear to 6 to 10 ft or let grow taller and looser.
The big, glossy leaves look best against a plain wall or fence. Put a lower layer of ixora, firebush or liriope in front, and leave 3 ft behind the hedge so a trimmer fits.
- Dense privacy hedge
- Fence-line screen
- Tall formal hedge
- Backdrop for flowering shrubs
How our crew plants it
A hedge goes in a trench or in individual holes about twice as wide as the 3 gallon pot, never deeper than the root ball. Each plant sits with the top of its ball an inch above grade, which keeps the crown dry. Backfill with native soil, mulch 3 inches deep and keep mulch off the stems.
The crew sets the row in a straight line, waters it in and cleans up. Extra watering is allowed on new plantings under Lee and Collier rules; taper to your two assigned days as the roots spread.
Care after planting
- Shear lightly two or three times a year during the growing season, keeping the top slightly narrower than the base so lower branches get light.
- Give a balanced slow-release shrub fertilizer in spring and again in early fall, because the county ban on nitrogen and phosphorus runs June 1 to September 30.
- Water young hedges deeply and often enough to keep the root ball moist, then settle into your assigned two days once established.
- Mulch 3 inches deep to hold moisture in sandy soil and cut down on weeds.
- Rinse aphids off new growth with a hose, and use insecticidal soap or horticultural oil if mites or whiteflies build up.
What to watch for
- Aphids, thrips, mites, whiteflies and sooty mold show up on stressed hedges, though UF/IFAS considers none of them normally serious.
- Poor drainage and overwatering lead to root rot, and plants set too deep decline slowly.
- Salt spray scorches the leaves, so skip it on exposed waterfront.
Sweet Viburnum questions we hear
How fast does sweet viburnum grow in Florida?+
Moderately fast, roughly 1 to 3 ft a year with regular water and feeding. At 3 to 4 ft apart, 3 gallon plants close into a hedge in a couple of seasons. Growth slows in winter and speeds up when the rainy season starts.
How far apart should I plant sweet viburnum for a hedge?+
Plant 3 to 4 ft apart on center. Closer than 3 ft wastes plants and leads to bare bases, while spacing wider than 5 ft leaves gaps for years. Stay about 3 ft off fences and walls so you can reach the back of the hedge with a trimmer.
Is sweet viburnum a good privacy hedge in Cape Coral?+
Yes. It is dense, glossy and evergreen, and it reaches 8 to 12 ft with regular trimming. It handles our heat and sandy soil, but not direct salt spray, so on open Gulf or bay exposure use green buttonwood or another salt-tolerant hedge instead.
When should I trim a sweet viburnum hedge in Florida?+
Trim lightly two or three times a year during the growing season, roughly April through October, and avoid hard cuts during cold snaps. Light, regular trims keep the hedge full to the ground. Trimming right after the spring bloom lets you enjoy the flowers first.
Will sweet viburnum grow in shade?+
It does well in part shade and keeps its glossy leaves there, but it grows thinner and slower with less sun. For the densest hedge, give it at least half a day of sun. Under heavy oak canopy, plan on gaps closing more slowly.
How much does a sweet viburnum hedge cost to have installed?+
That depends on how many feet of hedge you want, the plant size and the spacing. Send us the length and where it is going, and a planted price comes back by text, usually within the hour during the day. Half down holds the plants and a delivery day.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Sweet Viburnum
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
Also worth a look
More like this
All hedges & shrubs
The service
Hedge and privacy screen installation
Planning a whole yard
See it in 3D first
We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.