Snapped off a couple of sprigs of Viburnum Carlesii to bring to the office this morning, some from an old plant in the back (40+ years?), and some from a new one I planted 5 years ago - I intentioanlly sought out another for closer to the house. (Actually, two). Until today I thought they were all identical.
The blooms examined side-by-side are clearly different and I think the original one superior. So naturally I’m now obsessed with cloning the old variety and have already secured a low green branch for layering. Did I mis-identify the old viburnum? The original has larger, more rounded petals, clear medium pink on the back sides, blushed pink/white inside. This contrast is well shown off by the buds opening in slow sequence in each cluster. (Not unlike the Yaku rhodies). The new viburnums' buds are white, open at once, are smaller and slightly more square.
Several co-workers stopped dead in their tracks in the hall today, turned back and came over to drink in the clove vanilla fragrance. Old and new are indistinguishable, and unsurpassed, in their perfume.
Note they don't last in vase - 24 hours and they were completely spent.