Viburnum lantanoides

Common Names

Hobblebush, Witch-Hobble

Summary

Viburnum lantanoides, commonly Hobblebush, is a New England native understory shrub of cool, moist forests in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. It typically forms an open, straggly, multi-stem shrub with cascading branches that can root where they touch soil, often forming dense thickets. Leaves are large, heart-shaped and toothed, with naked winter buds. In spring it bears flat-topped inflorescences with an outer ring of showy white sterile flowers surrounding smaller fertile flowers, blooming in May and June; fruits are red to blue drupes that ripen to black by late summer, and fall foliage ranges from red to purple. Preferring partial shade to full shade and consistently moist, acidic soil in cool, moist woods, it is hardy in USDA zones 3a–6b. In landscapes, it suits shade gardens, naturalized plantings, and massing or as a specimen, and can spread by layering or seed. Propagation is by seed requiring warm followed by cold stratification or by softwood cuttings, with layering also used. It is deer and rabbit resistant, provides wildlife value as a host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly, and bears fruits eaten by birds and mammals.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

36-120 inches

Spread

48-144 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-6

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade

Soil Type

Moist, acidic loamy soil that is well-drained

Soil Drainage

Well-draining loamy soil that remains evenly moist but not waterlogged.

Soil pH

pH roughly <6.0-8.0

Bloom Color

White (occasionally pink)

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green leaves, turning bright red in autumn; fall foliage ranges from yellow to red to purple.

Fall Foliage Color

Red, Purple, Burgundy, Orange, Gold, Yellow, Pink

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds