Yes, viburnums are not caning shrubs and so the 1/3 removal method is not applicable. Dirr, in his treatise on viburnums, states: "Viburnums do not require heavy-handed, butcher-shop type pruning. Tidying and shaping with hand pruners is best. Pruning viburnums should be an exercise in retraint". Since nearly all viburnums flower on old growth, any pruning that may be required should be done immediately after flowering. But since 'Summer Snowflake' flowers pretty much non-stop through summer, that may be hard to achieve :-) You may be able to encourage denser growth by cutting back some exterior shoots to right before a node -- this typically will prompt budding of new shoots from the node. FWIW, there is a mature SS shrub at my nursery that is easily 15' tall and about 10-12' wide. I doubt it has ever seen pruning shears nor does it need to. I might look to other reasons why your shrub's growth is rangy and sparse - poor soils, too much shade, insufficient moisture?

John, i do but as I mentioned in your e-mail about Snowflurry and as Irina just confirmed, it won't cross pollinate with your streptocarpus. Irina-- I corrected my original post-- I just peeked at my tag and realized it's "Snowflurry." Sorry for the mistake! I put it in a new pot today, and have set it and all my tender perennials outside. No frost for the next 10 days, so spring may be here. Majority nights are in the 40s.

Kirk, can you get the pattern on here somehow, those are so cute. Would love to make some with my GK's. They have a nice large window to hang them in. Kids looks so cute & town looks friendly,you also have a great clinic in town, don't know if you know it or not!! My friends that have property up there had a serious problem when he got weak legs & your clinic there did a 1st rate job according to his dr. down here,so Norman Rockwell town with modern caring clinic where everyone was great!! Made a very scary situation much better, they thought they would have to go to Spokane when waitress told them to go to the clinic down the street! Anyway hope you can take a pic of the folded snowflake so we can cut some ourselves otherwise you may get lot of e-mails!! What do you paint them with? Thanks! Jan

Just one more question...Please! How wide is the ribbon you use? Was just looking at photos from last year and in the pictures the ribbion just seems to get lost. I bought it at michaels last year fineally! My tree is red, green and gold... (seem to be doing less green this year). The ribbon is a plaid of the three colors. Can't replace it this year. Maybe I should go around the tree instead of bottom to top.