Wayfaringtree Viburnum is a non-native suckering shrub with a vigorous and dense growth habit making it useful as a hedge. Stems are upright and spreading giving it a rounded shape. Prune out old stems to renew growth. More than 1 shrub is needed in close proximity to obtain a reliable fruit set. Plant in average well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. It adapts well to drier conditions. Basal suckering allows the shrub to spread aggressively so planting a less aggressive native viburnum is recommended. See recommendations to the left. 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 .
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.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in. | Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Multi-stemmed; Rounded; Spreading
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are leathery, dull dark green to blue-green, 2 to 5 in. long, tomentose on the undersides and purplish-red fall color. Veins are sunken on the upper side and prominent on the undersides giving it a quilted appearance. The base is cordate to rounded and the apex is acute and pointed.
Fall color
Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Cream/Tan; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
3-5 inch wide flat-topped cymes with creamy white blooms. Individual flowers have 5 petals and 5 stamens. The filaments are whitish with yellow anthers. Flower stems have fine white hairs. Bloom time is May.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Green; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit detail
The fruit is green changing to red, red-orange, or red-yellow by mid-Summer, then maturing to black in late August and early September, in flat-topped clusters.
Bark color
Dark Gray
Bark detail
The bark is initially smooth and gray with visible lenticels, becoming somewhat ripply and then scaly with age.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Twigs are gray-brown with fine hair and leaf buds are without scales.