Hello from … Toronto,
Two years ago, I planted four Mohican viburnums in planters. They grew well and flower in the spring. However, they did not produce any fruit. I chose them for the fruit so that they would attract birds. Needless to say, I am very disappointed (so are the birds).
According to the info I gathered on the internet, to produce fruit they need to be paired with another type of vibernum. The problem is I cannot find any site providing a list of matches for the Mohican Lantana.
Any idea?
Thank you for considering my query.
Dear Gardener,
Thank you for your interesting query about your non-fruiting Mohican Lantana (botanical name: Viburnum lantana ‘Mohican’). Viburnum is a large genus of native and non-native shrubs and trees further divided into a multitude of species. The species, Viburnum lantana (common name – wayfaringtree), is a fruiting shrub native to Europe, Asia and North Africa and now naturalized to the northeast of North America. Your plants are a cultivar of this species.
Although this species is monoecious (having both male and female parts), this does not guarantee self-pollination as you have discovered. If purchased at the same time or from the same place, it is likely that your plants were grown from the same seed lot or from cuttings from the same plant. This also can have an impact on pollination and fruit production. As well, the bloom time of the selected cultivar needs to coincide with that of the 4 you are currently growing. There are 4 cultivars of this species: Viburnum lantana ‘Mohican’, Viburnum lantana ‘Aureum’, Viburnum lantana ‘Emerald Triumph’ and Viburnum lantana ‘Wavecrest’.
You could choose one or more of these 4 cultivars or Viburnum lantana itself. You may want to consider a cultivar which has fewer pests, e.g. powdery mildew. To find a suitable plant, you will likely need to make an online order from one of the various nurseries across Canada, if one is not available locally. Be sure you are purchasing Viburnum lantana or one of its cultivars rather than an unrelated Viburnum species, such as Viburnum lentago.
Due to the confusing naming of plants, we recommend purchasing plants by their botanical names, rather than by common or vendor’s names to avoid surprises such as purchasing a misnamed invasive plant or a mistaken plant type.
For more information, please see: Viburnum–A Shrub for Many Settings
Wishing you all the best in finding a suitable viburnum partner for your plants and producing a bountiful banquet for your feathered friends.