Most are quick growing, making them great choices for hedgerows or privacy screening. In an open, sunny location they usually form a rounded or mushroom shape; and can be pruned into single stem small “trees”. In under-story situation, they spread in search of light, forming smaller, more open specimens that naturally reflect how they grow in the wild. They are very adaptable plants, and there is a viburnum for almost any garden or landscape situation. Matching the right plant to the right place will help you pick the best one for you!
Here’s a quick rundown on the various native species we have in stock:
Viburnum dentatum — Arrow-wood Viburnum
- 6′-12′ in height, 4′-10′ wide
- Moist to dry soil
- Creamy white compound flowers in late spring
- Blue-back berries in fall
- Deer resistant
- Sun to part shade
Viburnum lentago — Nanny Berry Viburnum
- 15′-18′ high by 6′-12′ wide
- White blooms in late spring
- Fruits turn from green to pink to blue; often multicolored bunches until ripe
- Yellow to orange to burgundy fall color depending on sun exposure
- Moist well drained soil; adaptable to poor compacted soils, permanently moist and dry soils
- Sun to light shade
- Pollution tolerant
- One of the largest of the native viburnums; could be considered a small tree
Viburnum prunifolium — Blackhaw viburnum
- 12′-15′ by 6′-15′ wide
- Horizontal to broad oval canopy; similar to a crab-apple or hawth0rn in shape
- Creamy white flowers in early to mid spring
- Prefers part sun; tolerates full shade
- Mildly deer resistant
- Fruit can be made into a jelly
- Moist to dry soil; drought tolerant
Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’ — Smooth Viburnum
- 6′-8′ tall and wide
- White blooms in early summer
- Leaves are glossy dark green.; glossy dark red fall color
- Sun to light shade
- Prefers cool location
- Wet to moderately dry soil; prefers moist soil
- The ‘Winterthur’ cultivar will set more berries if pollinated by the straight species Viburnum nudum
Viburnum trilobum —American Cranberry Bush
- 5′-15′ high by 4′-10′ wide
- White, showy blooms in late spring
- Sun to part sun
- Edible fruit is bright red; used by early colonists for preserves
- Fall color yellow to red
- Average to moist soils, tolerates wet soil well
- Vase shaped , mounded with long, arching canes
- Fast growing and suckering habit in wet to very moist soils
- The selection ‘Wentworth’ remains more compact
