Golden Currant vs Snowball Viburnum - TreeTime.ca

Golden Currant vs Snowball Viburnum

Viburnum opulus roseum

Ribes aureum

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Snowball Viburnum
Golden Currant

Snowball Viburnum is a popular ornamental shrub with prolific flowering. This plant is prized for its round clusters of white flowers that resemble snowballs, delighting children and adults. In fall, its leaves turn vibrant shades of red.

Snowball Viburnum is sought after as a single accent shrub, but can also make a dense hedge or privacy screen.

Golden Currant produces berries for jams, jellies, sauces and even pemmican. This currant bush is very dense, allowing for use as a hedge, windbreak, or wildlife habitat.

This plant is also a very popular rootstock to graft popular red and white currant varieties to. The resulting plants are taller, more productive, and easier to harvest.

Snowball Viburnum Quick Facts

Golden Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 3b
Zone: 4a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium


Fall colour: purplish-red
Fall colour: reddish purple
Bark: gold to gray
Flowers: white
Flowers: yellow
Berries: glossy black berries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: european cranberrybush, guelder rose, snowball bush, snowball tree
Other Names: buffalo currant, clove currant, fragrant golden currant, golden flowering currant, spicebush