Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Viburnum ID?, 1 by ViburnumValley

ViburnumValley wrote:
I've circled the field several times, dumping fuel and preparing for the runway-covered-with-foam belly skid.

I'm landing in the Viburnum cassinoides camp, rather than the Viburnum nudum because of the serrations on the non-lustrous lighter green leaf edges and the terminal bud forming. I haven't found serrations to speak of on any of the Viburnum nudum I have growing here (5 different clones and a bunch of BBB seedlings) but the seedling Viburnum cassinoides DO have serrations along with some, not all, of the clonal Viburnum cassinoides (3 different clones, 3 seedling forms). Also, that bark on that size plant doesn't fit any of the tree-sized species like Viburnum lentago, Viburnum prunifolium, or Viburnum rufidulum.

I would believe you would have the opportunity for both species in your haunts, and since they are closely inter-related (some rate Viburnum cassinoides as a varietas of Viburnum nudum) it boils down to taxonomic preference.

What I'd love to see is the advancement of more memorable names for these extraordinary plants. Witherod sounds like Ichabod's androgynous sibling.

I am going to promulgate swamp haw viburnum or wild raisin for Viburnum cassinoides.

I like possumhaw viburnum, smooth viburnum, or lustrous viburnum for Viburnum nudum.

In any matter, both of these are incredibly easy to grow plants with exceptionally handsome foliage summer and fall, and the eye-popping array of fruit transformations (from green to cream to pink to red to blue to black; there's something for everyone) are simply stunning.

Why don't you have both in your garden already?