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Beech Viburnum

Viburnum erosum (vy-BUR-num e-ROH-sum)

Family: Viburnaceae Non-native Shrub (3-15 ft)

Beech Viburnum is an upright deciduous shrub that is native to Asia. It will grow 5-7 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide with showy white flowers in spring that are followed by red fruits in summer to fall. Foliage turns an orangy-red in the fall. Plant it in the full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained acidic soils. Use in an Asian garden, pollinator garden, as a foundation shrub or a hedge. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases. More information on Viburnum .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 58 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Viburnum dilatatum
Fills a similar niche Viburnum davidii Viburnum deamii All That Glitters® 'SMVDLS' Viburnum dilatatum 'Oneida'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 7 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
1.5-3.5 inch by 1-2 inch oval-ovate or obovate leaves have wedge-shaped or rounded bases and pointed tips. Margins are sharply toothed and star-shaped hairs are present on both surfaces, especially the undersides. Orangy-red fall color.
Fall color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Showy white flowers in 2-3 inch cymes appear in mid-spring.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
1/4" long red fruits
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Stem detail
Slender stems have pale brown down when young
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Japan, Korea, China
Attracts
Pollinators; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Foundation Planting; Hedge; Small groups; Specimen
Garden tags
#white flowers #red fruits #showy flowers #pollinator plant #foundation planting #Asian garden #fall interest #full sun tolerant #partial shade tolerant #bird friendly #flowers mid-spring #hedge #bat friendly #moth friendly
Problems & Resistance
Other problems
Purple Mite

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.