Witherod viburnum is a large, upright-spreading, suckering shrub, native to North America. It tolerates both shady and wet sites, excellent for shrub borders, naturalizing and woodland sites. It may be difficult to find in nurseries.
A related species, Possum-haw (Viburnum nudum), is listed in the cultivars section.
Size & form:
A dense compact suckering shrub which grows 6 to 15 feet high and wide. It is often confused with Possum-haw (Viburnum nudum).
Native geographic location and habitat:
Native to the Northeastern United States and states along the Gulf Coast, witherod is often found in bogs and swamps.
Bark color and texture:
Smooth, gray-brown bark is dotted with lenticels.
Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:
Opposite, simple leaves are 3 to 4 inch long and elliptical leaves with short pointed tips and finely serrated teeth margins. Leaves are medium green, with rust-colored dots along the mid-rib and leaf base. Fall color ranges from orange to red to purple.
Flower arrangement, shape, and size:
Small creamy white flowers are borne in flat-topped clusters. They are unpleasantly scented.
Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions:
Berry-like fruit changes from green to yellow, then pink, red and black. All colors may be present in the same fruit cluster. Fruit tends to persist through much of fall.
Plant care:
Witherod grows best in part shade, but is tolerant of full sun as long as it has adequate soil moisture. It prefers wet, acidic sites, but will tolerate moist, well-drained soil. Prune after flowering.
Related species
Possum-Haw or Smooth Witherod (Viburnum nudum): A dense, 8 to 12 feet high shrub with upright, arching stems. Leaf surface has a waxy, shiny, medium green color that changes to an excellent reddish-purple fall color. The flat-topped, white flower clusters are followed by colorful, green to pink to blue fruit. It is native to low woods, swamps and bog areas in Eastern and Southeastern U.S.
