Linden viburnum

Description

Viburnum dilatatum, commonly known as linden arrowwood or linden viburnum, is a deciduous shrub in the moschatel family (Adoxaceae). It is native to eastern Asia, and can be found as an introduced plant in the mid-Atlantic regions in the U.S from New York to Virginia. Linden arrowwood is known for the clusters of red drupes it produces when it is mature. Viburnum dilatatum can grow up to 3 meters tall shrub and wide. The bark of the stems are brown with some orange, the stems are pubescent, and stems change color from brown to a dark gray as they mature. The leaves are simple, arranged opposite on a branch and the shape may vary from broadly obovate, obovate, or broadly ovate. The size of the leaf ranges from 5.1–13 centimetres (2.0–5.1 in) long and 2.5–6.4 centimetres (0.98–2.52 in) wide. The leaves have shallowly toothed margins, usually are pubescent and they drop in late autumn. With the season change linden arrowwood foliage changes. During the summer the foliage is dark green and during the autumn season the colors vary from bronze to burgundy. The flowers for linden arrowwood bloom after the leaves. They are in clusters that are small and the color is a creamy white, they bloom from May to early June. The flowers have both female and male parts which makes it a perfect flower. Perfect meaning they are plants that have both stamens and styles. The fruit is a red glabrous fleshy round drupe that grows in clusters like its flowers, they have red color from September to early December an individual berry measures 0.84 centimetres (0.33 in) in diameter. The berries are called gamazumi in Japan. In its native range of China, Japan, and Korea, Linden arrowwood can be found in lowlands, open forests, and scrubby areas. This species thrive in moist soil and sunny areas. In the early 1800s, linden arrowwood was introduced into the United States to serve as an ornamental. This plant has spread only locally in the United States, and its populations are concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic region. In some US states where linden arrowwood is found, there have been reports of it being an invasive species. Linden viburnum is an ornamental plant. It is used for mass plantings because of the white clusters of flowers it produces. Even though it is an ornamental plant, in some US states, particularly the mid-Atlantic region it is highly recommended not to plant this species because of its invasive tendencies.