Everything about Viburnum totally explained
Viburnum (
Viburnum) is a
genus of about 150-175 species of
shrubs or (in a few species) small
trees that were previously included in the family
Caprifoliaceae.
Genetic tests by the
Angiosperm Phylogeny Group showed however that they're correctly classified in the family
Adoxaceae.
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
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; they're eaten by
birds and other
wildlife, and 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.
Species
About 150 species are known, including the following:
Cultivation and uses
Many species of viburnum have become popular as
garden or
landscape plants because of their showy flowers and berries and generally good autumn colour. Some popular species,
hybrids, and
cultivars include:
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 flowers that look somewhat like snowballs, excellent 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, snowball-like flowers, textured leaves, reddish-black fruit, and can grow quite large under ideal conditions. The species can tolerate shade, but not drought. The variety tomentosum has flat-topped flowers but is otherwise the same as the species.
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.
Other uses
In prehistory, the long straight shoots of viburnums were used for arrow-shafts, as those found with Ötzi the Iceman.
The fruit of some species (for example V. lentago) are edible and can be eaten either raw or for making jam, while other species (for example V. opulus) are mildly toxic and can cause vomiting if eaten in quantity.
The bark of some species is used in herbal medicine, as an anti-spasmodic and to treat asthma.[Further Information]
Get more info on 'Viburnum'.
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