PlantFiles: Hobblebush, Witch-Hobble
Viburnum lantanoides

The hobblebush is native to E. North America and is essentially the American counterpart to the European Wayfaring Tree, V. lantana. The foliage is very similar to V. lantana and it produces similar red to black fruit and burgundy fall colours. The main difference is in the flowers. Those of the hobblebush are more like V. trilobum with a ring of sterile flowers sourrounding smaller fertile flowers.

This bush is the key stone to my Back Yard Habitat. It gives the birds cover all summer and all the birds love the berries as they ripen. My bush blooms all year because the many birds I have in my back yard keep it dead-headed for me. It is the most beautiful bush in the spring, outdoing the dogwood by far.

The hobblebush is native to New Brunswick and Michigan to the mountains in North Carolina. Very large leaves is probably its most distinguishing characteristic. The white flowers are in flat-topped 3"-5" clusters produced in mid-May. The berries first appear as red maturing to purple black in September.

The hobblebush is bes adapted to shady, most areas and is best used in a naturalized setting.