By Cawalker241
United Kingdom 
Hello,
My most beloved and beautiful Viburnum was blown over by the wind yesterday. It was fully mature, about 30 years old and stood 8 or 9 feet by about 7 feet. It had just come into bloom with its wonderful heavily perfumed flowers. It was clearly weak at the root as ithe trunk half broke at ground level. Some of the roots were still in the ground and a friend said I should cut off the canopy which was too heavy and hopefully it would regrow. That's what we did.
I think it was a Viburnum Carlcephalum. My recollection was that it was grafted [onto Viburnum Tinus root and it used to put up suckers]. Because it was in bloom and because it was grafted, I don't know if it's possible to take cuttings.
Will it regrow? The largest branch that was cut off had a dark centre. Was that rot or disease ? If it was diseased, how do I know what it was? If it was diseased, will the remaining part regrow?
Thank you for your time.
30 Apr, 2012
Answers
Thank you. I will give the cuttings a go. We did leave one branch - the thinnest - still attached. It looks very forlorn. I will take off the suckers and try to grow them on as well. I've seen a tinus and it is nice - not as lovely as mine.
Thank you again.
30 Apr, 2012
At least V. carlcephalum is a good one to grow from cuttings.
30 Apr, 2012
Aww, I am so sorry to hear about your tree and I hope that it will recover for you.
30 Apr, 2012
So sorry to hear asbout your lovely tree, I hope it survives and you get some nice cuttings too
30 Apr, 2012
I'm sorry to hear you've lost such a gorgeous well-loved plant. If it was grafted the regrowth from the roots will be the rootstock - if it was Viburnum tinus that is what you'll get. It's a good plant but not what you had.
You have nothing to lose by taking as many cuttings as you can manage from the top growth. If it's flowering or in bud pinch off the flowers / buds and pop shoots into a pot or pots of compost. Take shoots about 3 - 6 inches long & strip the leaves off the bottom half. Take some so they have a "heel" (a little bit of the bark from the parent shoot on the end of them), some so they are cut off between leaf buds and some cut at the leaf buds.
Put a clear poly bag over the top of each pot, secured with an elastic band round the pot and put them in a light but not hot place and cross your fingers.
On re-reading your question I note that you say the main stem "half broke". There may be a chance that the grafted bit may regrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for it.
30 Apr, 2012