Blackhaw Viburnum is a native deciduous shrub that commands attention with its elegant two-season show: delicate white flowers in spring followed by showy blue-black fruit that birds adore. Growing 12 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 12 feet wide in its natural shrub form, this Missouri native thrives in zones 3 through 9 and tolerates conditions that would challenge many ornamentals, from clay soil to drought to urban pollution. It's equally at home as a formal hedge or a naturalized multi-stemmed specimen, offering structure and wildlife value year after year with virtually no fussing required.
Partial Sun
Moderate
3-9
180in H x 144in W
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High
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The flat-topped white flower clusters reach nearly 4.5 inches across and bloom prolifically from May through June, attracting pollinators with shameless abundance. Beyond the blossoms, the edible dark blue fruit persists through late season, turning the shrub into a magnet for birds and butterflies. Its genuine toughness stands apart: this plant laughs at drought, tolerates black walnut toxicity, handles heavy clay, and shrugs off urban stress while remaining essentially pest and disease-free.
This shrub excels as a hedging plant, where its dense branching and moderate mature width create effective screens and living boundaries. The edible fruit attracts birds and butterflies, making it valuable for wildlife gardens and naturalized landscapes. In native plant restorations and rain gardens, it stabilizes soils and provides food for migratory birds.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Prune immediately after flowering (late June or early July) since the plant sets its flower buds in summer for the following year. Any pruning done later will remove next spring's blossoms. The plant's natural growth habit is irregular and multi-stemmed, so pruning should emphasize maintaining its shape rather than forcing a rigid form.
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“Blackhaw Viburnum is a Missouri native plant, occurring naturally in moist woods, thickets, and along streambanks throughout the state. Its presence in native plant communities reflects centuries of ecological adaptation to the region's climate and soils, and it has earned its place in cultivation because it brings that wild resilience into the garden without requiring special coddling.”