A severe attack of the dreaded Viburnum beetle and a huge infestation of aphids as well. Find a suitable spray and hope.

You can certainly spray for the aphids now, but its a bit late to spray for viburnum beetle, that's best done in May, just as the eggs from last year are hatching. Info here

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=556

I’ve just noticed that my viburnum has had the worst attack I’ve ever seen! I just look the other way and hope it doesn’t weaken plant too much.

Thanks I think I might take out of the border for now so I can replace with something for the summer, I can’t look at it anymore !

Mine's exactly the same. I've had mine for a while but the infestation started last year. I'll make sure I look after it come next May.

The plant will be ok, but for now it will look tatty through summer but don’t despair next years new growth will bring it back to its beauty, so how do I deal with the viburnham beetle for my clients? Well I spray with provado bugclear three times a year and this always works a treat, the first spray I do is end of March.

I also have a snowball viburnum that is strong & healthy. It's 30 years old and literally trouble free - I mean nothing bothers it at all and it's never been sprayed with anything. Don't give up on it yet. I think your viburnum needs a new location where it gets more exposure - more sun, more space to spread out, more airflow. Moving it away from that wall will take care of the bugs. It's too sheltered there and bugs love that situation. Don't look for flowers now - it's too early. They will come later.

Transplanting is generally done in the fall, but your viburnum is on 'life support'. I would do it now in this case. These shrubs are extremely resilient and hard to kill.

Julien's timing is good - I sprayed a Viburnum tinus in April last year to deal with a bad attack of Viburnum beetle which we noticed in June of the previous year. I didn't need to spray it again at all, its fine, even this year. Increased sun will make no difference - Viburnum beetle attacks most viburnums in full sun or shade, although its favourite is actually V. tinus.

Mine has never seen a beetle or anything. It's a gorgeous shrub and the giant 'snowballs' last all summer and into winter. They become like dried paper flowers - just beautiful.

Not sure its much of a problem in some parts of the States - up till now anyway. Here's an article from 2014 that might be of interest

https://www.amerinursery.com/pest-management/viburnum-leaf-beetle/

I'm sure it's because of the brutal winters we get. The ice & snow sanitizes everything.

Thanks everyone, I tried moving it yesterday but the roots must have grown really deep from last year because i couldn’t budge it! So it’s staying where it is, and next year in March I will read up on the spray and hope for the best! I love getting all the advice it’s great x

My daughter has a Viburnum tin.hedge which I planted 3 years ago. Until last year and the dreaded beetle arrived, it was doing so well. I wonder if I should prune severely and then use an organic spray several times over the next few months. Would organic spray be strong enough for heavy infestations? Thanks for this useful thread sarah.p

If you read the advice in the link given in my answer at the top of this thread, it mentions various treatments....obviously the most effective are the heavy duty treatments like Bug Clear Ultra,which will clear an infestation in one application,IF done at the right time,but there are other options mentioned there.