Lexington, KY - A garden without viburnum is akin to life without music and art." So says well-known horticulturalist Michael Dirr, Ph.D., and who am I to argue? Since declaring his love of viburnums, Dirr has gone one step further and devoted one of this many books entirely to this shrub, titled "Viburnums, Flowering Shrubs for Every Season." The cover notes say it all: "With their abundance of flower, handsome foliage, robust constitution, and frequently stunning fruits, viburnums are among the most beautiful and versatile hardy shrubs available to gardeners."
As a landscape designer I can tell you that if you need a shrub for a problem area, be it wet, dry, sunny or shady, a viburnum is likely to come to the rescue. They excel as specimen plants or as anchors in a mixed border. They are wonderful for hedges or for massing in groups, since they have four-season interest.
While there are more than 150 species of viburnum worldwide, Kentucky's natives are perfectly suited to our ecosystem, with a beauty that tells us we're at home. The leaves of some native viburnum provide larval food for moths and butterflies, their flowers are a nectar source, their berries nourish our birds, some of which use the shrubs for nesting and protection. Many have named cultivars with varying characteristics, such as smaller size.
Native Viburnums
Southern blackhaw (or rusty blackhaw) viburnum (V. rufidulum) is happy in sun or light shade. Its shiny, leathery foliage turns burgundy in the fall, accented by drupes of blue berries. Excellent drought tolerance.
Arrowwood viburnum (V. dentatum) was used by American Indians to make arrow shafts because of the plant's strong shoots that develop from the roots. It is adaptable to varied soil conditions. It has a creamy white lacecap bloom and striking blue fruit.
Hobblebush viburnum (V. alnifolium) is a reliable shrub for moist shade. It has fragrant white lacecap flowers and excellent fall color. However, it does have a somewhat untidy form, perhaps making it more suitable for naturalized settings.
Blackhaw viburnum (V. prunifolium) prefers dry feet and is adaptable to sunny and shady sites. The foliage turns purplish-red in the fall. Blackhaw can be pruned into a small, single stemmed tree with a habit similar to hawthorne. The fruit makes a good jelly.
Possumhaw (or smooth witherod) viburnum (V. nudum) offers an exceptional amount of fruit, with the berries turning from green to pink to purple - all of these colors can appear at the same time.
American cranberry bush viburnum (V. trilobum) got its common name from its fruits which look like bright red cranberries. These fruits make an excellent jam.
Mapleleaf viburnum (V. acerifolium) is an excellent plant for heavy shade and dry soil. It suckers in the wild, creating large thickets, making it best for a naturalized area. The foliage turns reddish-purple in the fall.
Most viburnums are not self-pollinating. To encourage best fruiting, it is better to have another viburnum in the vicinity.
Our native viburnums offer four-season beauty and ecological benefit in a very low maintenance shrub. How can you resist?