Add year-round beauty and vital wildlife support to your property with the Possumhaw Viburnum (Viburnum nudum). This adaptable deciduous shrub typically grows 5-12 feet tall and wide, with upright stems that become arching with age.
In spring, you'll find flat-topped clusters of fragrant, ivory, saucer-shaped flowers decorating the shrub. These showy blooms are followed by an impressive display of colorful summer fruit. The berries change color as they ripen, from light pink to deep pink to blue to purplish-black, with shades of both deep pink and blue-purple often appearing on the same cluster in striking contrast to the foliage. They are a favorite food source for songbirds and small mammals in late summer and early fall.
Possumhaw Viburnum's wavy-edged leaves are smoother and more lustrous than many other viburnums, and its fall color is remarkable, often turning an attractive maroon to dark red-purple. This shrub is also a larval host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly and Hummingbird Clearwing moth.
Why Grow Possumhaw Viburnum?
- Colorful Fruit Display: Clusters of berries ripen from pink to blue to purplish-black, providing striking visual interest in late summer and fall.
- Wildlife Magnet: The berries are a valuable food source for songbirds and small mammals.
- Host Plant: Serves as a larval host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly and Hummingbird Clearwing moth.
- Attractive Foliage: Wavy-edged leaves offer a lustrous texture and vibrant maroon to dark red-purple fall color.
- Fragrant Spring Blooms: Showy, flat-topped clusters of aromatic white flowers appear in May-June.
- Versatile & Adaptable: Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. It prefers moist loams but tolerates a wide range of soils, including boggy ones.
- Great for Privacy or Borders: Its mature size makes it an excellent choice for a privacy screen or border plant.
- Pollinator-Safe: Grown non-GMO and free of harmful neonicotinoids, promoting a healthy ecosystem for pollinators and wildlife.
Available in a one-gallon container.
Planting Tips:
- Location: Plant in full sun to partial shade. It prefers sun for best results. Ideal for moist to occasionally wet sites along ponds, streams, and bogs, and in water or rain gardens.
- Watering: Water regularly during the first growing season to establish roots, ensuring the soil remains consistently moist, especially in the first year. Once established, it tolerates occasional dry spells, though supplemental watering may be needed during prolonged droughts.
- Spacing & Fruit Production: For best cross-pollination and subsequent fruit display, plant shrubs in groups rather than as single specimens. Consider combining with Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) for a bold autumn foliage display and to attract songbirds.
- Maintenance: Prune lightly, only as needed, in fall. Pruning after flowering may eliminate some of the late summer fruit display.
For more information on planting, view our How to Plant Your Native Plants guide and other planting tips in the Garden for Wildlife Learning Center.
Enhance your garden with the year-round charm and ecological benefits of Possumhaw Viburnum, bringing beautiful blooms, colorful fruit, and essential wildlife support!
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