| + | The viburnums are upright mostly rather large shrubs or sometimes small trees with usually medium-sized deciduous or evergreen foliage and white or sometimes pinkish flowers in showy flat clusters or sometimes in panicles, followed by berry-like subglobose to oblong, red, dark blue, or black fruits. The viburnums rank among the most valuable ornamental shrubs. Besides showy flowers and decorative fruits they possess handsome foliage which mostly assumes a bright fall coloring. The plants are of good compact habit. Most of the deciduous species are hardy North, but V. macrocephalum var. sterile and V. obovatum are tender; also V. tomentosum, V. Wrightii, V. theiferum, V. cotinifolium, V. nudum, and V. dilatatum are not quite hardy farther north than New England. Of the evergreen species, V. rhytidophyllum is the hardiest and at the same time one of the most distinct and handsomest species of the genus, with its bold foliage and the large clusters of flowers and fruits; it is hardy as far north as Massachusetts in favorable positions; also V. japonicum stands several degrees of frost, but cannot be relied on north of Philadelphia; V. odoratissimum and V. suspensum are still tenderer. The viburnums are well suited for borders of shrubberies or planting along roads, and the more showy ones are handsome as single specimens on the lawn. They are mostly medium-sized shrubs, 5-10 feet high, but V. Lentago, V. prunifolium, and V. rufidulum sometimes grow into small trees, 30 feet high, while V. acerifolium hardly reaches 5 feet. The most decorative in fruit are V. Opulus, V. dilatatum, and V. Wrightii, with scarlet or red berries which remain a long time on the branches. Besides the snowball forms, V. dilatatum, V. tomentosum, V. Sieboldii, V. prunifolium, V. rufidulum, V. venosum, and V. dentatum are very handsome in bloom. Varieties with all the flowers of the cymes sterile and enlarged are known in the case of V. Opulus, V. tomentosum, and V. macrocephalum, the common, the Japanese and the Chinese snowballs; all these are very showy. One of the most charming in bloom is V. Carlesii on account of its rather large pink-and-white and deliciously fragrant flowers which appear in dense clusters early in spring before or with the leaves; almost all other species bloom after the leaves. The foliage of most species turns purple or red in fall, that of V. Opulus, V. americanum, and V. acerifolium being especially brilliant. V. dilatatum assumes a dull yellow color. V. macrocephalum and V. Sieboldii keep the bright green of their foliage until late in autumn. The viburnums are not very particular as to soil and position, but most of them prefer a rather moist and sunny situation. Some, as V. acerifolium, V. Lantana, V. dilatatum, V. Tinus, V. pubescens, and V. prunifolium, grow well in drier places, while V. alnifolium and V. pauciflorum require shade and a porous soil of constant moisture. V. acerifolium does well under the shade of trees in rocky and rather dry soil. V. Tinus is often grown in pots and thrives in any good loamy and sandy soil. With a little heat it may be forced into bloom at any time in the winter; if not intended for forcing, it requires during the winter a temperature only a little above the freezing-point and even an occasional slight frost will not hurt it. The common and the Japanese snowball are also sometimes forced and require the same treatment in forcing as other hardy shrubs. |
| + | V. betulifolium, Batal. Allied to V. Wrightii. Lvs. ovate to rhombic-ovate, coarsely serrate, glabrous except a few hairs on the veins beneath, 1 1/2 - 3 in. long; petioles about 1/2 in. with small stipules: infl. 2-4 in. across: stamens longer than corolla: fr. red. Cent. and W. China. S.T.S. 2:147.— V. bracteatum, Rehd. Allied to V. pubescens. Lvs. orbicular-ovate, obtusely sinuate-dentate, pubescent on the veins beneath, 2-5 in. long; petioles about 3/4 in. long, stipulate: infl. 1 1/2-3 in. across, with conspicuous bracts: fr. ovoid, bluish black. Ga. S.T.S. 1:68. Hardy at the Arnold Arboretum. — V. buddleifolium, C. H. Wright. Allied to V. Lantana. Densely stellate-tomentose: lvs. oblong-lanceolate, pubescent above, grayish tomentose beneath, 3-6 in. long: infl. dense, about 3 in. across: fr. ovoid, black. Cent. China.—V. burejaeticum, Regel & Herder (V. burejanum, Herder). Allied to V. Lantana. Lvs. short-petioled, oval or ovate, acute or obtuse, denticulate, with anastomosing veins, sparingly pubescent beneath, 1 1/2 - 3 in. long: infl. Dense, 1 1/2 - 2 in. across: fr. ovoid, bluish black. N. China, Manchuria, Gt. 11:384.— V. cinnamomifolium, Rehd. Allied to V. Tinus. Evergreen: lvs. elliptic-oblong, 3-nerved, nearly entire, glabrous, 3-5 in. long: infl. loose, 5-7 in. across: fr. ovoid, 1/6 in. long, shining bluish black. W. China. S.T.S. 2:114.— V. cordifolium, Wall. Closely related to V. alnifolium, but without radiant fls.: cymes loose, 2-6 in. across: fertile fls. larger: lvs. usually narrower. Himalayas, W. China. S.T.S. 2:138.— V. coriaceum, Blume-V. cylindricum.— V. crassifolium, Rehd. Hardy evergreen species: lvs. deep green, slightly toothed around margins: infl. white, with 5 prominent anthers, chocolate-colored. China.—V. cylindricum, Hamilt. (V. coriaceum, Blume). Evergreen shrub or tree, to 50 ft., glabrous: lvs. oval to oblong, acuminate, usually remotely toothed above the middle, 3-8 in. long: infl. 2-4 in. across, rather dense: fls. white or pinkish, tubular, 1/5 in. long; stamens exserted: fr. black, ovoid. Himalayas, W. China, G.C. III. 52:371. S.T.S. 2:143.— V. dahuricum, Pall.-V. mongolicum.—V. dasyanthum, Rehd. Allied to V. Wrightii. Lvs. ovate to oblong, acuminate, nearly glabrous, 2-5 in. long: infl. lax, 3-4 in. across; pedicels, ovary, and outside of corolla villous: fr. red. Cent. China. S.T.S, 2:149.— V. Davidii, Franch. Allied to V. Tinus. Evergreen, compact shrub, to 3 ft.: lvs. elliptic to elliptic-obovate, short-acuminate, 3-nerved, 2-6 in. long: infl. dense, 2-3 in. across: fr. blue, ovoid, 1/4 in. long. W. China. R.H. 1913, p. 375. J.H.S. 38, p. 63 (fig. 44). G.M. 55:273.— V. densiflorum, Chapm. Closely allied to V. acerifolium. Lower: lvs. smaller, 1-2 in., with mostly shorter lobes or none: cymes denser. W. Fla.— V. ellipticum, Hook. Shrub, attaining 5 ft., allied to V. acerifolium, but lvs. not lobed, oval to elliptic-oblong: fr. oblong-oval, almost 1/2 in. long. Wash. to Calif.— V. erosum, Thunb. Allied to V. Wrightii. Lvs. oblong-ovate or oblong-obovate, pubescent on the veins beneath, 2-3 1/2 in. long; petioles short, stipulate: cymes long-peduncled, loose, 2 1/2 – 3 in. across: fr. Red. Japan. G.F.9:85.-V.fragrans, Bunge. Allied to V.suspensum. Lvs. deciduous, obovate-oblong, sharply dentate, glabrous beneath: panicles with or before the lvs., about 1 1/2 in. long: corolla salver-shaped, nearly 1/2 in. long, fragrant, white, pinkish in bud. N. China. Recently intro. and hardiness not yet tested, but probably fairly hardy as far north as Mass.; very floriferous and in bloom apparently one of the handsomest viburnums.—V. furcatum, Blume. Closely related to V. alnifolium, but of more upright habit and stamens shorter than corolla: seed with the ventral furrow more open and broader. Japan. S.I.F. 2:74. S.T.S. 2:119.— V. Harryanum, Rehd. Evergreen: lvs. orbicular to obovate or broadly oval, glabrous, 1/3 - 1 in. long: cymes 1-1 1/2 in. across: fr. black. W. China. Very distinct in its small privet-like foliage.— V. Henryi, Hemsl. Allied to V. Sieboldii. Evergreen, to 10 ft.: lvs. elliptic-oblong to oblong-obovate, acuminate, glabrous or nearly so, shallowly serrulate, 2-5 in. long: panicles broadly pyramidal, 2-4 in. long: fr ovoid. 1/3. in. long, first red, then black. Cent. China. B.M. 8393. S.T.S. 2:116. G.C. III. 48:264, 265; 60:193. R.B. 35, p. 296. Tender.—V. hupehense, Rehd. Allied to V. Wrightii. Lvs. broadly ovate, acuminate, dentate, slightly pubescent above, more densely below, 2-3 in. long; petiole stipulate: cymes stellate-pubescent: fr. ovoid, dark red. Cent. China. Hardy at the Arnold Arboretum.— V. ichangense, Rehd. (V. erosum var. ichangense, Hemsl.). Allied to V. Wrightii. Lvs. short-petioled, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, dentate, rough above, pubescent beneath, 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 in. long; petiole 1/4 in. long or less, stipulate: cymes slender-stalked, 1-2 in. across: fr. ovoid, red. Cent. and W. China. S.T.S. 2:150.— V. kansuense, Batal. Allied to V. Opulus. Lvs. slender-stalked, ovate in outline, deeply 3-5-lobed, with coarsely toothed acuminate lobes, hairy on the veins, 1-2 in. long: cymes 1 – 1 1/2 in. across without sterile fls.: fr. red. W. China. A graceful shrub very distinct in its small deeply lobed lvs.—V. lobophyllum, Graebn. Allied to V. Wrightii. Lvs. orbicular-ovate to broadly obovate, abruptly acuminate, coarsely toothed, glabrous or hairy on the veins beneath, 2-4 in. long: cymes 2-4 in. across; stamens longer than the corolla: fr. red. W. China. G.C. III. 60:197. S.T.S. 2:147.—V. mongolicum, Rehd. (V. dahuricum, Pall.). Shrub, to 6 ft.: lvs. broadly ovate to oval, crenate-denticulate, stellate-pubescent beneath, 1 1/2 – 2 1/4 in, long: fls. salver-shaped, in short panicles: fr. finally black. Dahuria to N. W. China. Possibly not in cult.; the plant figured as V. dahuricum in horticultural literature is not this species.—V. orientale, Pall. Allied to V. acerifolium: shrub, attaining 4 ft.: lvs. with simple, not fascicled hairs on the veins beneath and not glandular dotted beneath: fr. red. June, July. W. Asia. Gt. 17:567.—V. phlebotrichum, Sieb. & Zucc. Allied to V. Wrightii. Lvs. short-petioled, ovate to elliptic-ovate, acuminate, glabrous, except hairy on the veins beneath, 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 in. long: cymes slender-stalked, nodding, loose, 1 – 1 1/2 in. across: calyx and pedicels purple: fr. ovoid, red. Japan. S.T.S.2:120. S.I.F. 2:73.—V. propinquum, Hemsl. Allied to V. Tinus. Evergreen: lvs. elliptic to elliptic-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 3-nerved, remotely denticulate, glabrous, 1 1/2 – 3 1/2 in. long: cymes 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 in. across, glabrous: fr. globose-ovoid, bluish black. Cent. and W. China. S.T.S. 2:115.—V. sympodiale, Graebn. Closely related to V. alnifolium. Lvs. narrower, ovate to elliptic-ovate, more finely serrulate and usually rounded at the base, 3-5 in. long: cymes 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 in. across: fr. purple. Cent. and W. China. S.T.S. 2:139.—V. urceolatum, Sieb. & Zucc. Low straggling shrub: lvs. slender-petioled, ovate-lanceolate, crenate-serrulate, glabrous, 2 1/2 - 5 in. long: fls. tubular, scarcely 1/6 in. long, in slender-stalked cymes 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 in. across: fr. ovoid, black. Japan. S.T.S. 2:141. Recently intro.: one of the least ornamental in bloom.—V. utile, Hemsl. Evergreen shrub, to 6 ft.: lvs. elliptic-ovate to ovate-oblong obtusish, entire, lustrous above, densely whitish tomentose beneath, 1-3 in. long: cymes stalked, dense, 2-3 in. across: fr. bluish black, ovoid, 1/3 in. long. B.M. 8174. S.T.S. 2:142. G. 35:380. R.B. 35, p. 280.—V. Veitchii, C. H. Wright. Allied to V. Lantana. Shrub, to 5 ft.: young branchlets and petioles stellate-tomentose: lvs. ovate, acuminate, cordate at the base, remotely dentate, stellate-tomentose beneath, slightly stellate-pubescent above, 3-5 in. long: cymes 4-5 in. across, stellate-tomentose: fr. red, finally black. Cent. China. |