Viburnum - Blackhaw

This is a shrub that grows in most cool and mild areas of the country. It thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. Position your new Blackhaw viburnum tree so that it gets at least four hours of direct sun a day. When it comes to soil, the Blackhaw isn’t particular as long as it has good drainage. It accepts loam and sand, and grows in both acidic and alkaline soil. When you are growing a Blackhaw viburnum in an appropriate location, it’s a very low-maintenance plant. Blackhaw viburnum care is minimal. Blackhaws tolerate drought once their roots are established. That said, Blackhaw viburnum care includes regular irrigation for the first growing season.

Viburnum prunifolium, commonly called black haw, is usually grown as a large, upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with an irregular crown, but it also may be grown as a small, single trunk tree. As a shrub, it typically grows 12-15' tall with a spread of 6-12', but as a tree may reach a height of 30'. A Missouri native plant which commonly occurs in moist woods, thickets and on streambanks throughout the State. Non-fragrant white flowers in flat-topped cymes (to 4.5" diameter) appear in spring. Flowers give way in autumn to blue-black, berry-like drupes which often persist into winter and are quite attractive to birds and wildlife. Ovate, finely toothed, glossy dark green leaves (to 4" long) turn attractive shades of red and purple in fall. Fruits are edible and may be eaten off the bush when ripe or used in jams and preserves.