Arrowwood Viburnum
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Average mature size 6-8' tall and 6-15' wide, up to 15' tall in optimal conditions. Dense, multi-stemmed, rounded shrub. Has a suckering tendency and will colonize. Medium growth rate. Relatively short-lived, at 20-50 years.

Native Range

Kentucky Native — Grows in wet areas, floodplains, bogs, and stream banks. Native to the east coast, the southeastern states, and from New Brunswick to Minnesota, south to Georgia. Also native to scattered counties in northeast and central Kentucky. Introduced 1736.

Flower and Fruit Details

White flowers, almost creamy in color due to yellow stamens, appearing in May to early June for 10-14 days. Borne in 2-4" diameter (sometimes larger) flat-topped cymes on 1.5-2.5" peduncles. Somewhat ill-scented. Blue or bluish-black, oval-rounded, drupe fruit, 0.25" long late September through October, eaten by birds.

Leaf and Bark Features

Deciduous: Leaves arranged opposite, simple, 2-4.5" long and 1-4" wide, coarsely dentate, lustrous dark green and glabrous above, glabrous beneath, or with pubescent vein axils. Petiole 0.5-1" long. Fall color ranges from yellow to glossy red to reddish-purple; the differences attributable more to genetics rather than soils or climate. Not highly reliable; varies from plant to plant. Bark glabrous at maturity, gray to gray-brown.

Culture and Care

Adapted to various soils but prefers well-drained conditions. Tolerant of salt, high pH, drought, heat, and heavy soils. Sun or partial shade. Perhaps the most durable viburnum for East and Midwest US Gardens. Transplants well. Suckers freely from base and may spread beyond intended area. Zones (2)3-8. Tolerates wetness, flooding, shade, and poorly-drained sites. Prefers acid soils, pH 5.1-6.5, but tolerates higher pH. Viburnum beetles can be a problem in the north. Otherwise, no serious disease or insect problems.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Good wildlife value. 3-season interest: Spring, summer, & fall. Native Americans made arrows from the long, straight, unbranched stems, thus the common name, arrowwood.

Suggested Uses

Good in hedges, screens, groupings, masses, and shrub border filler. One of the most functional viburnum species for durability and adaptability.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA