Dark Light
Mapleleaf Viburnum
Viburnum acerifolium

This was a fun discovery! Right near my garden deer fence I noticed some lovely clustered white blooms, and I immediately thought “viburnum”. What kind of viburnum was another story. The way I finally figured it out was the leaf shape, and it was unmistakably Mapleleaf Viburnum.

Unfortunately this isn’t a viburnum that has tasty berries, so they are best left for the wildlife.

Alternate Names: Maple-leaf Arrowwood, Dockmackie
Size: 3'-6' tall, 3'-6' wide
Family:  Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)
Habitat: Moist to dry woods, sun to partial shade.
Identification: Deciduous clumpy shrub with 3-lobed maple shaped leaves that are coarsely toothed. Produces numerous clusters of white flowers above the leaves. After, the fruit is fleshy, and a very dark purple-black when ripe. Blooms April-June, Fruits August-October.
All text and photos copyright © 2022 Middle Way Nature Reserve, unless noted.
Related Posts
yellow spice-bush flowers

Spicebush

Don't confuse me with Witchhazel, which also has yellow flowers on bare branches (but blooms in the winter).
red sweetshrub flowers

Sweet Shrub

This deciduous shrub has the strangest loveliest flowers, which are quite fragrant and bloom here in central Virginia in the mid-late spring. Crushing the leaves also gives a spicy scent, hence the alternative name "Carolina Allspice."