PlantFiles: Wayfaringtree
Viburnum lantana

Fruits of this plant maybe slightly toxic, according to information in "Állat- és növényhatározó" (Magyar Könyvklub, Budapest, 2000) a Hungarian book that is an adaptation of the German "BLV Tier- und Pflanzenführer für unterwegs" (Wilhelm Eisenreich, Alfred Handel, Ute E. Zimmer - München 1999). Take care not to confuse it with the elder (Sambucus nigra), which is a popular medical plant, and many of us like to collect its flowers and make delicious syrup from them.

This large, deciduous shrub is native to Eurasia, but has become naturalized in the eastern US. This is a rounded, multistemmed, upright and then spreading shrub that may become 20' tall. The 3"-5" flower clusters are white with yellow stamens blooming in mid-May. The fruit changes from green to red to blue-black starting in August and September with each cluster able to display all the colors at the same time resulting in a showy fruit display. Fall color is often poor but can be purplish-red.

The wayfaringtree likes full sun to part shade, responds best to fertile, loamy soils but withstands dry, compacted soils, and is one of the best viburnums for alkaline soil. It can be used in the shrub border, in mass plantings, difficult growing sites, and as a bird attractor. It has few serious insect or disease problems and can be propogated by cuttings or seed.