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Viburnum nudum
Possumhaw Viburnum, Smooth Witherod, Wild Raisin, Naked Viburnum

Photo by Cure Nursery

Possumhaw Viburnum is a 12-15-foot tall (some report up to 20 feet) x 12-15-foot wide, deciduous, wet-tolerant shrub of surprising ornamental value found in Eastern states from Texas north to Canada. It ioccurs in all three NC zones, mountains, piedmont and coastal plain, though in the mountains the quite similar Viburnum cassinoides is more common. The stems are upright to arching, leaves are simple, smooth and glossy, white-topped cymes of flowers are abundant in April and May. It is the changing colors of the fruits of Possumhaw Viburnum that are most striking: they begin as a heavy load of pink berries, which ripen – fetchingly unevenly – to deep blue as the season progresses. As the foliage turns to deep burgundy in the fall, the berries darken to blue-black! Grow in full sun to part shade, average to wet soil moisture. The colors will surprise you, and the birds will love you for it.

Last Updated: June 10, 2019

Key Info

Scientific Name: Viburnum nudum L.
Common Names: Possumhaw Viburnum, Smooth Witherod, Wild Raisin, Naked Viburnum
Family Name: Adoxaceae (Viburnum Family)
Plant Type: Tree / Shrub
Uses: Naturalizing, Specimen, Wildlife plant, Pondside, Roadside, Shrub borders, Hedges
Light Requirement: Full sun, Partial/sunny, Partial/shady
Moisture Requirement: Wet, Medium, Moist well drained
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Bloom Times: May, Jun, Jul
Flower Color: White
Special Characteristics: Attracts butterflies, Good fall color, Attracts birds, Edible fruit (in jams), Showy fruit, Flowers fragrant, Good for hedges, Good wildlife cover/habitat, Reported to be deer resistant., Tolerates wet coditions

Additional Info

Habit: Upright, multi-stemmed shrub with rounded crown that typically grows in the wild to 5-12’ reaching up to 20 feet tall, with a spreading, round crown. The bark is gray-brown and smooth with a few raised warty lenticels.
Height: 10' to 15'
Spread: 10' to 15'
Soil Conditions: Occasionally saturated to consistently moist, well-drained soil, and even occasionally dry soil, acid, loam, loamy clay.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, elliptical, dark green, 3 - 5 inches long, wavy-edged or with entire margins, somewhat thickened; waxy-shiny green above, paler below. Foliage reliably turns attractive shades of maroon/burgundy-purple in fall.
Flowers (or reproductive structures): In spring, aromatic, long-stemmed, creamy white flowers appear, arranged in flat-topped clusters (cymes) 2-5” wide.
Fruit: Fruits occur in hanging clusters of oval drupes ½ inch long that are at first light pink, then deep pink, deep blue, ripening to purplish black, several colors in the same cluster. They ripen in the fall and persist through the winter, becoming shrivelled (raisin like). The berries are highly acidic but edible.
Natural Distribution: Low, wet woods, bogs, swamps, savannas.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9
USDA Wetland Indicator Status in NC: OBL (FACW on costal plain)
Pollination: Bees, butterflies, other insects
Wildlife Connections: Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, water birds, grouse, wild turkeys and squirrels; is a potential host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly; the twigs and leaves are browsed by small mammals and white-tailed deer.
Downside: No serious disease or insect problems.
Propagation: Propagated by cuttings in spring or by seeds.
USDA/NRCS Plant Distribution Map: View Map at USDA.gov

Availability

Available: Gallons, $15

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Office: (919) 542-6186

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Who we are

Cure Nursery is a small nursery propagating and selling native plants for the Southeastern U.S. We are located near the town of Pittsboro, Chatham County, in central NC.

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Cure Nursery operates by appointment only. Call us or email us to arrange a time to come out, or for delivery.

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