Viburnum sp.

Viburnum, Βιβούρνο. Viburnums are usually shrubs, but their habits vary. Most viburnums have a full spreading habit. Some viburnums can become medium-size trees, especially if they are pruned. Viburnums excel as specimen plants or as anchors in mixed borders. You won’t find a more versatile group of shrubs for hedges or for massing in groups, since viburnums hold their own in every season. Some viburnums, such as Prague viburnum (V. ‘Pragense’), are evergreen. Others, such as leatherleaf viburnum (V. rhytidophyllum), are semi-evergreen in colder climates.

Most viburnums in cultivation have reliably attractive foliage. Leaves vary in size, texture, and color. Foliage may be rounded or lance-shape, and entire or toothed around the edges. Most deciduous viburnums have great fall color, ranging from yellow to red to burgundy, depending on the species or cultivar. But mapleleaf viburnum (V. acerfolium) is hard to beat, turning purple to rosy in the fall. Their berries are a food source that attracts birds and other wildlife.