Can post photos only as comment

Thanks!

Where abouts do you live?

Israel, the eqiluivalent of zone 9.

Where does the confusion lie? What did you order?

Could it be Viburnum suspensum? Assuming it is evergreen?

I included viburnum tinus in a telephone order I placed with the nursery owner. When the lot was delivered, the ursery delivery man announced: And here's your viburnum suspensum! When I told him I had ordered tinus he said: Of course this is actually tinus. I didn't want him to get into trouble with his employer so I'm checking here. I was afraid it would be suspensum. Thank you for the ID.

I can confirm it is NOT VIburnum tinus!!

Copy that :)

It is suspensum, right?

Please tell me it isn't.

I'm not overly familiar with that species but it sure looks like it. Sorry.

I read it grows extremely slowly but is very shade tolerant, so maybe I'll find some use for it. Thanks!

To me V tinus absolutely stinks of dog s..t. I’ve actually checked the soles of my shoes on occasion and then looked around and seen the stinking shrubbery. And the flowers aren’t fragrant. Did you order a named cultivar? The type has dull dirty white flowers to my eye.

I don’t know V suspensum but reading tells me the blooms are fragrant.

Floral, you're making me feel better. I didn't order a named cultivar, just viburnum tinus, I need a small evergreen tree/large shrub for screening.

Suspensum's blooms aren't fragrant for me. I don't care at all for their smell, but smell is so subjective.

Yes: what tinus smells of to me is cat and not dog. And then only when it has been cut back resulting in regrowth that mildews in summer. So then the question becomes is it really the mildew that smells and not the shrub itself?

I don’t think it’s mildew. I don’t recall seeing mildew on it. I smell it all year round in various different places around town. Last time was on Monday in a local park.

Would this one be Tinus? It grows in the neighbourhood. Blooms are pinkish-white. I crushed a leaf and inhaled - no stink. Neither pleasing nor displeasing smell.

Leaves close up

I read Tinus leaves are "hairy". These ones aren't. They are smooth.

Looks like tinus

Yes, that’s tinus imo. Round here you can smell them from yards away without needing to crush a leaf. Maybe it’s a function of our climate.

Floral, could be.

I ran a search on local sites and some people complain about stench. Others don't undertand what those people are talking about. Perhaps in damp conditions it stinks here too. However, complaints about stench seem to be rather rare.

wintercat, you're right about smells being subjective. There's nothing wrong w/my smelling, yet I harvested dozens of ginkgo seeds out of the pulp, and tho they have a smell, it wasn't objectionable to me at all. Yet all the moaning and groaning about it on the internet.

The one time I encountered a fruiting ginkgo in my area I could smell it about 300' away.

Yep. First one I ever encountered I sniffed out. Another dog s..t ‘aroma’.

While I've detected unpleasant scents from boxwood and junipers under certain conditions, I can't say that Viburnum tinus has ever assaulted my senses :-) And they are popping into bloom all over the place here. I also believe scent is very subjective and the perception of scent will vary widely with the sniffer.

But then I live with a dog, so may be somewhat inured to a doggy scent :-) Have also heard of V. tinus smelling like unwashed sweat socks........can't say I've encountered it!

OK, confession time. I just love the smell of cow dung. Sniff it with relish every chance I get - not up close though. It reminds me of my childhood.

Cow dung is a healthy country smell 😉 Dog s..t is just plain disgusting. Box is both tomcat and sun soaked holidays in France so I’m ambivalent on that one.

With V tinus it isn't just the flowers. The whole shrub smells.

The one ginkgo smelled of carrion.

I love this conversation!

I have always found many types of Viburnum foliage disgustingly stinky. Other botanical friends seem not to notice...

friends seem not to notice

Hopefully this doesn't mean that you are always generating a smell of your own that is stronger than that of the shrubs.

wintercat, I read umbrella magnolia flowers have an unpleasant smell, yet I love mine -- not sweet, but a rather haunting, indescribable smell. I might guess that is to attract flies and wasps in addition to bees.

It's so beautiful, and "haunting, indescribable smell" sounds beautiful, too.