Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)
Identifying Features
Plant Family: Adoxaceae
Native Range: Eastern and Central United States
Leaf: deciduous, opposite, simple, margin finely toothed
Twig and Bud: twigs stout, plump floral buds noticeable in winter
Flower, Fruit and Seed: clustered, white flowers bloom mid-spring and develop into black fruits by fall
Bark: blocky
Shape and Mature Height: may grow as a multi-stemmed shrub or single trunk tree, 12-15 feet tall as a shrub, up to 30 feet tall as a tree
Garden Value and Considerations
Both flowers and fruit of blackhaw viburnums are quite showy. The white flowers occur in flat-topped clusters and produce a pleasant fragrance. The leaves turn to shades of purple and red in the fall. Blackhaw viburnum is an easy to grow, native option to serve as a hedge or small specimen tree in a garden setting.
Notes
The fruits are drupes that develop as lime green to yellow, transitioning through shades of pink, blue and finally black. They eventually shrivel and become raisin-like. They are readily eaten by wildlife and are edible for human consumption. Blackhaw viburnums serve as a host plant to more than 100 moth and butterfly caterpillars, including hummingbird clearwing moths.
