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Viburnum prunifolium Blackhaw Viburnum

Viburnum prunifolium

Blackhaw Viburnum

An upright viburnum when young then becoming as wide as tall at maturity.  Branching is very stiff with lateral branching coming off of the main branching at 90° angles giving it what is referred to as a fish-bone pattern.  Can be grown as a shrub or limbed up to as a multistemmed tree or even grown as a single stemmed ornamental tree.  Grows 12-15' although very old plants can be larger which may be desirable when grown as an ornamental tree, making it no larger than many flowering crabapples.  Summer foliage is a clean dark green with varying degrees of dull to a semi-glossy sheen.  Flowers appearing in May are flat-topped cymes that are white with yellow stamens giving them a creamy appearance.  Fruit is long, pinkish-rose changing to blue-black and very palatable with the taste of dried figs and once used in colonial times to make preserves.  Fall foliage can be variable from a solid shiny red to reddiah-orange while others have red tones with a backdrop of yellow interior leaves giving it a glowing effect.  Zone 3



USDA Hardiness Zone:

3


Height:

12-15 Feet

Spread:

12-15 Feet

Viburnum prunifolium Characteristics

Growth Rate in the Garden

  • Moderate

Habit

  • Broad, rounded
  • Dense

Soil Requirements

  • Acid
  • Drought tolerant
  • Moist, well drained

Sun Requirements

  • Full Sun to Part Shade

Fall Color

  • Yellows and reds
  • Red
  • Red and yellow
  • Reddish-orange

Flowering Season

  • Mid to late May

Fragrant Flowers

  • No

Fruit

  • Abundant and showy
  • Pinkish-rose to blue-black
  • Persistant

Native to

  • North America

Winter foliage

  • Deciduous