joT October, 192n 



333 



Viburnums 



ARBORUM AMATOR 



Ol' the nearly one hundred species of I'ibiininin 

 which are widely distributed through North and 

 Central America, Eastern Asia, Northern Africa 

 and Europe, some growing in shrub and others in tree 

 form, about a score are well worthy of cultivation. 



The genus J'iburnum, which belongs to the botanical 

 order CaprifoUacccc^ has opposite leaves, flat compound 

 cymes of small flowers, mostly white, and bears some- 

 times blue but mostly purple or red, one-seeded, soft, 

 pulpy drupes containing a flattened and thinly crustaceous 

 stone. 



The hardiness of \'iburnums, their compact form. 

 their handsome foliage, their showy flowers, and deco- 

 rative fruit, and their adaptability to dift'erent situations, 

 soils and uses all commend them to the lover of orna- 

 mental flowering shrubs. 



Viburnum totncutosum is indigenous to Japan and 

 China. Of a spreading form, and attaining a height of 

 about eight feet, it is a handsome shrub either in foliage, 

 flower or fruit. In June its cymes of white blooms 

 appear, and these are followed by its fruit, at first red, 

 but changing later to a blue-black. 



Viburnum pUcatum is the well known Japanese Snow-- 

 ball, one of the finest of all Viburnums, considered by 

 some a variety of tomcntosum. Its globose heads of 

 sterile flowers, about three inches in breadth, are showier 

 and denser, and last longer on the bush than those of the 

 common Snowball. The brown shoots of this species 

 are well furnished with a dark green foliage, and are. like 

 the branches of an oak, nearly at right angles to the body. 

 This species is of compact form of growth, and is of about 

 the same height as tomentosum. There is a variety of 

 this called rotuudifoliuin which blooms about ten days 

 earlier. 



I'iburnuiii opiilus, often called high cranberry, is 

 indigenous to Asia, Europe and North America. This 

 species varies in height from five to ten feet. Its white 

 cymes, the marginal flow'ers of which are radiant, are 

 about four inches broad, and appear in Alay and June, 

 and are followed by oval red fruits, which, as the birds 

 do not eat them, remain on the bush till the next Spring. 

 These fruits, having a pleasant acid taste and resembling 

 cranberries somewhat, are sometimes used in place of 

 them. In Autumn its foliage assumes ver\' bright shades 

 of color. Sterile, a variety of opxilus, is the old favorite 

 Guelder-Rose or American Snowball. Though its blooms 

 and foliage make this variety a showy shrub, it lacks the 

 red fruit of the species opulus. There are furthermore 

 some forms of opuJus with variegated leaves and a very 

 dwarf variety nanum, the smallest of the genus, grow- 

 ing no more than one to two feet high and seldom flower- 

 ing. 



Viburnum lantana grows to a height of twenty feet. 

 This is sometimes called in England the Rowan tree, but 

 more commonly the Wayfaring tree. It is often planted 

 close to the side of houses and other buildings, because 

 it is supposed to be a sure protection against witches, 

 sprites and goblins. This species has an upright form. 

 In May or June its cymes, two or three inches broad, of 

 white flowers, appear. These are followed by ovoid- 

 oblong fruits, at first red, but turning later to nearly 

 black. The fruit is very sweet, and remains long on the 

 stem, and both it and the acrid inner bark arc medicinal. 



J iburnum lantanoides, the American species, is dif- 

 ferent from lantana in having the form of a low bush or 

 shrub. It is indigenous to rockv. moist, dark woods from 



Xew Brunswick to New England, and as far south as 

 North Carolina. It is usually found in desolate, wild 

 places, and its broad heads of white flowers, which are 

 followed by crimson fruit, turning at maturity to black, 

 are in beautiful contrast with their surroundings. 



Viburnum macro cephahmi comes to us from China. 

 This has a spreading habit and reaches a height of ten 

 to twelve feet. It produces in May and June cymes three 

 to five inches across of yellowish white flowers, the 

 marginal flowers being sterile and radiant. There is a 

 variety of this called sterile. This is rarely seen, though 

 not new, and is known as the Chinese snowball. Its 

 blooms are in nearly globose heads, seven to eight inches 

 across. Sterile is the largest flowering of the Viburnums. 

 It is reputed to be hardy in New England. 



J'ibnrnuiii Icntago is a hardy native species, found 

 from the Atlantic Coast to Missouri and Minnesota, and 

 northwards. It forms a bush or small tree having 

 slender branches and attaining a height of fifteen to 

 thirty feet. In May or June its yellowish white flowers 

 ajipear in cymes three to five inches broad, and these are 

 followed by bluish-black oval fruits, which remain on 

 the branches till the following Spring, hence the conunon 

 name of this species, Nannyberry, Sheepberry. 



Viburnum accrifolimn is a native shrub, found in New 

 Brunswick to Minnesota, and southward to North Caro- 

 lina. It grows in shaded situations always, and is an 

 excellent shrub for planting in such locations. Its 

 flowers are of a pale purple color at their opening, but 

 later become white and are followed by nearly black 

 fruits. The foliage has the shape of that of the maple, 

 hence its specific name acerifolium, maple-leaved. 



Viburnuiii dentatum reaches a height of about ten feet. 

 In May or June its cymes of large showy white flowers 

 appear and are succeeded by purple fruits. This hand- 

 some native shrub, which is found frotn New Brunswick 

 to Maine, and southward as far as Georgia, is commonly 

 called arrowwood, because from its tough, heavy, hard- 

 wood shoots the Indians used to make arrows. 



Viburnum dilatatum, by reason of its scarlet fruits, 

 rthich remain long on the branches, is a highly decorative 

 shrub in Autumn. Its flowers are pure white and are 

 arranged in cymes three to six inches broad, which appear 

 in May and June. This species, which comes from Japan 

 and China, has an upright and bushy form. It attains a 

 hei.ght of ten feet, is hardy and free flowering, and is 

 commonly known as the Japanese bush cranberry. 



VibunuDn- molle has an attractive foliage, is more 

 robust than dentatum, and blooms about two weeks later. 

 Its native habitat is along the coast of New England 

 from Massachusetts soiuhw'ard to Florida and Texas. 

 Viburnum pubcscens. native from lower Canada to the 

 Georgia mountains, and west to Iowa and Minnesota, is 

 a strag.glin.g low shrub, much inferior to daitafum. This 

 is commonly called downy arrowwood. 



The pretty evergreen species Viburnum tiuus. Japon- 

 ieuin- rugosum and and lucidum are not hard\- in the 

 North. 



Viburnum cassinoides, commonly called Appalachian 

 tea and white rod. is native from New Foundland to 

 Manitoba, and Minnesota to North Carolina. Fruits at 

 first pink, but later dark blue follow its yellowish-white 

 pink flowers. The folia.ge of this hardy species assumes 

 beautiful hues in Autumn. 



{Continued on page ^43) 



