Leaves fLecked with fLame

The fiery autumn foliage of Viburnum plicatum is guaranteed to set borders alight. It is a deciduous shrub, but just before its oval leaves fall to the ground, it puts on a spectacular show. The fruit is an ovoid blue-black drupe just under ½in (10mm) long. These follow clusters of tiny white flowers. Some of the more popular cultivars are selected for having all of their flowers large and sterile. These flowerheads resemble a snowball, giving them the common name of the Japanese snowball. Cultivars of this type include ‘Grandiflorum’ and ‘Rotundifolium’. The shrub can reach 10ft (3m) in height.