Viburnum

Viburnum is a genus of about 150–175 species of shrubs or (in a few species) small trees in the moschatel family, Adoxaceae. Its current classification is based on molecular phylogeny.^[1] It was previously included in the family Caprifoliaceae.^[2]

They are native throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere, with a few species extending into tropical montane regions in South America and southeast Asia. In Africa, the genus is confined to the Atlas Mountains.

The generic name originated in Latin, where it referred to V. lantana.^[3]

The leaves are opposite, simple, and entire, toothed or lobed; cool temperate species are deciduous, while most of the warm temperate species are evergreen. Some species are densely hairy on the shoots and leaves, with star-shaped hairs.

The flowers are produced in corymbs 5–15 cm across, each flower white to cream or pink, small, 3–5 mm across, with five petals, strongly fragrant in some species. The gynoecium has 3 connate carpels with the nectary on top of the gynoecium. Some species also have a fringe of large, showy sterile flowers round the perimeter of the corymb to act as a pollinator target.

The fruit is a spherical, oval or somewhat flattened drupe, red to purple, blue, or black, and containing a single seed; some are edible for humans (though many others are mildly poisonous to people). The leaves are sometimes eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species - see list of Lepidoptera that feed on Viburnum.

Contents 1 Species 1.1 Formerly placed here 2 Cultivation and uses 2.1 Other uses 3 References

Species

About 150 species are known, including the following:

Viburnum acerifolium – Maple-leaf Viburnum Viburnum atrocyaneum Viburnum betulifolium Viburnum bitchiuense Viburnum bracteatum Viburnum buddleifolium Viburnum burejaeticum Viburnum calvum Viburnum carlesii – Korean Spice Viburnum Viburnum cassinoides – Witherod Viburnum, Wild Raisin, Appalachian Tea Viburnum cinnamonifolium Viburnum cordifolium Viburnum corylifolium Viburnum cotinifolium Viburnum cylindricum Viburnum dasyanthum Viburnum davidii Viburnum dentatum – Arrowwood Viburnum Viburnum dilatatum – Linden Viburnum Viburnum edule – Squashberry, mooseberry, pembina, pimbina, highbush cranberry, lowbush cranberry, moosomin (Cree language) Viburnum ellipticum Viburnum erosum Viburnum erubescens Viburnum farreri – Farrer's Viburnum Viburnum foetens Viburnum foetidum Viburnum furcatum Viburnum grandiflorum – Himalayan Viburnum Viburnum harryanum Viburnum henryi Viburnum hirtum Viburnum hupehense Viburnum ichangense Viburnum × jackii – Jack's Viburnum Viburnum japonicum Viburnum kansuense Viburnum lantana – Wayfaring Tree, Hoarwithy Viburnum lantanoides Viburnum lentago – Nannyberry Viburnum lobophyllum

Viburnum macrocephalum – Chinese Viburnum (琼花) Viburnum molle Viburnum mongolicum Viburnum mullaha Viburnum nudum – Possumhaw Viburnum odoratissimum Viburnum opulus – Guelder-rose Viburnum orientale Viburnum phlebotrichum Viburnum plicatum Viburnum propinquum Viburnum prunifolium – Blackhaw Viburnum rafinesquianum Viburnum recognitum – smooth arrowwood Viburnum rhytidophyllum – Wrinkled Viburnum Viburnum rigidum Viburnum rufidulum – Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum sargentii – Tianmu Viburnum (天目琼花) Viburnum schensianum Viburnum sempervirens Viburnum setigerum – Tea Viburnum Viburnum sieboldii – Siebold's Viburnum Viburnum suspensum Viburnum sympodiale Viburnum ternatum Viburnum tinus – Laurustinus Viburnum trilobum – Highbush Viburnum Viburnum urceolatum Viburnum utile – Service Viburnum Viburnum veitchii Viburnum venosum Viburnum wilsonii Viburnum wrightii – Wright's Viburnum

Formerly placed here

• Hydrangea arborescens L. (as V. alnifolium Marshall or V. americanum Mill.)
• Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser. (as V. macrophyllum Thunb.)^[4]

Cultivation and uses

Many species of viburnum have become popular as garden or landscape plants because of their showy flowers and berries, fragrance, and good autumn colour of some forms. Some popular species, hybrids, and cultivars include:^[5]

• The hybrid Viburnum × bodnantense (V. farreri × V. grandiflorum) is particularly popular for its strongly scented pink flowers on the leafless deciduous shoots in mid to late winter.
• Viburnum × burkwoodii (V. carlesii × V. utile)
• Viburnum × carlcephallum (V. carlesii × V. macrocephalum)
• Viburnum carlesii has round white flowerheads, strong fragrance, dense structure, and reddish leaves in autumn.
• Viburnum davidii is an evergreen species from China with blue fruit.
• Viburnum dentatum has flat-topped flowers, bluish fruit, and reddish leaves in autumn. It is somewhat salt-tolerant. The cultivar 'Blue Muffin' is more compact than the species and has fruit that are a deeper blue than the species.
• Viburnum dilatatum has flat-topped flowers, reddish leaves in autumn, and bright red fruit that persist into winter.
• Viburnum × juddii (V. bitchiuense × V. carlesii)
• Viburnum plicatum has white flowers, textured leaves, reddish-black fruit, and can grow quite large under ideal conditions. The species can tolerate shade, but not drought.
• Viburnum × pragense (V. rhytidophyllum × V. utile)
• Viburnum × rhytidophylloides (V. lantana × V. rhytidophyllum)
• Viburnum rhytidophyllum is a popular evergreen species, grown mainly for its foliage effect of large, dark green leathery leaves with strongly wrinkled surface. This is the parent species of two popular hybrid cultivars known as 'Alleghany' and 'Pragense'. 'Alleghany' was selected from a hybrid between V. rhytidophyllum and V. lantana 'Mohican' (in 1958, at the US National Arboretum).
• Viburnum setigerum has upright, coarse structure and orange to reddish-orange fruit.
• Viburnum sieboldii has coarse, open structure, flat-topped flowers, reddish-black fruit, and can grow as a small tree.
• Viburnum tinus is a widely grown garden and landscape shrub.

Other uses

In prehistory, the long straight shoots of some viburnums were used for arrow-shafts, as those found with Ötzi the Iceman.

The fruit of some species (e.g. V. lentago^[6]) are edible and can be eaten either raw or for making jam, while other species (e.g. V. opulus^[7]) are mildly toxic and can cause vomiting if eaten in quantity.

The bark of some species is used in herbal medicine, as an antispasmodic and to treat asthma.^[7]

References