Habitat

• native to eastern North America
• hardy to zone 2

Habit and Form

• multistemmed
• deciduous
• a large shrub or small tree if trained as such
• reaches 12' to 15 tall or larger
• shape is irregular to rounded
• branching is upright to irregular
• branch tips typically arch over
• somewhat open at maturity and leggy at the base
• often suckers at the base

Summer Foliage

• opposite, simple leaves
• leaves have an elliptic-obovate shape
• leaves are 2" to 5" long
• leaf apex is acuminate
• petiole is distinctly winged with a wavy margin
• leaves with finely toothed margins
• emerging leaf color is light green
• mature foliage is a dark glossy green

Autumn Foliage

• can be purple-red
• not dependable for good fall color

Flowers

• small, creamy white flowers in flat clusters
• flower clusters are 3" to 4.5" in diameter
• bloom time is mid to late May
• reasonably floriferous and showy in full bloom

Fruit

• 0.5" long oval drupes
• held in pendulous clusters
• fruit color changes from green to yellow, pink, rose and finally to blue-black
• fruit is most appealing before it turns blue black during the color transition
• ripe and rotting fruit smell like wet sheep wool

Bark

• dark grey to black
• breaks up into a pattern of small blocks

Culture

• sun or shade
• tolerant of both moist and dry soils
• very adaptable to many sites
• easily transplanted and established
• suckers readily from the base

Landscape Use

• naturalizing
• shrub borders
• difficult sites
• small flowering tree
• to attract birds and wildlife
• hedges
• background plant
• barrier
• useful for flowers and fruit

Liabilities

• suckers readily from the base
• can get mealybug
• powdery mildew can be a problem

ID Features

• winged, wavy edge to petioles
• opposite, simple leaves
• leaves with a distinctly acuminate tip
• 0.5" long oval drupes
• fruit color is yellow, pink, rose or blue-black
• decaying fruits smell like wet sheep wool
• valvate bud scales
• flower buds are long pointed with a swollen base
• swollen base of flower buds don't split open as in V. cassinoides

Propagation

• by cuttings
• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

None are commonly available, but several perhaps deserve more attention.

'Deep Green' - This is a handsome large growing selection that reaches 20' tall and features lustrous leaves.

'Pink Beauty' - Not commonly available, this selection offers a variation with the fruit. The pink drupes turn purple with age.