Downy Arrowwood is an attractive shrub and one of the smallest native Viburnums growing 6-10 feet tall. It is common in forest understories and along woodland margins. In NC it is native to the piedmont area. It prefers dry conditions in sun to part shade in clay loam with some rocky material. It is drought tolerant once established. Downy Arrowwood is a heavy bloomer in May with showy flat-topped clusters of white blooms that are followed by purple berry-like drupes that attract wildlife. Use this plant in shrub borders, foundations or in naturalized or woodland areas. The birds will love you for it. 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.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | 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
Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Piedmont
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Oval leaves simple, opposite and 1.5 to 3 inches long and 1-2 inches across. They are dark green to reddish-green with paler undersides and hairs along the veins. Apex is pointed, margins are coarsely toothed and the base is rounded with a pair of slender stipules. Fall color is reddish.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Cream/Tan; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower shape
Bell; Saucer
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flower clusters are borne at the tips of last year's branches and are 1.5-3 inches across. Creamy-white 1/4 inch flowers have 5 petals and extruded stamens with yellow tips.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Blue
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
1/4-1/2 inch compressed oval drupe that matures to blue-black in June to July.
Bark color
Dark Gray
Bark detail
The short trunk or lower branches are gray and somewhat wrinkled, while upper branches are gray and more smooth.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Young stems are light green to reddish-green, round, and slightly pubescent. Widely scattered white lenticels occur on the upper branches and shoots.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern and Mid North America
Distribution
AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: MB , ON
Wildlife value
It is a potential host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly. Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, grouse, wild turkeys and squirrels. Its twigs and leaves are browsed by white-tailed deer.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds