| General Description | A small woody shrub that can be prone to suckering. Produces small black berries but have been known to change colour prior to full maturation in December. Fairly hardy while growing moderately fast and easy. |
| ID Characteristic | Medium broad shaped leaves grow around 5-10 cm and are simple. Forms black berries that taste undesirable to most. Flowers show a classic yellow tinge due to the colour of the stamens. |
| Shape | Small-medium woody shrub that produces small and slim arching branches. Prone to suckering. |
| Propagation | From seed, it usually takes 150 to 270 days at a temperature of about 19-25ºC. Followed with 60-120 days at a temperature of about 3-5ºC. Known to root fairly easily by softwood cuttings. |
| Cultivation | Thrives in wet, moist clay loamy soil. This plant grows well near swamps, but will also thrive near rich fertile valleys close to stream banks. Also grows in low wooded areas, but sometimes can survive in somewhat sandy and rocky soil on sloped land. Prefers a slightly acidic soil of about 5.9-6.5 pH. |
| Pests | Extremely prone to Viburnum leaf beetle. |
| Notable Specimens | A.M. (Mac) Cuddy Garden, Strathroy, Ontario. |
| Habitat | Shrub grows from Hudson Bay to Manitoba, south to Georgia and Mississippi |
| Bark/Stem Description | Dark and glossy with noticeable scales. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Grayish black and roughly 2-3 cm long, noticeably valvate and long in appearance. |
| Leaf Description | Opposite forming leaves, dark green and simple. Leaves are fairly broad and rounded at base, 5-8 cm long and 3-6 cm wide. Petiole is relatively short measuring around 2 cm. |
| Flower Description | Somewhat attractive but fairly common formation and colour in its family. Produces a flat cyme style of flower formation, with relatively small florets that emerge white but show yellow colour due to the stamens. |
| Fruit Description | Small berries that mature to a black colour. Known to interestingly change bud colour throughout course of maturation and ripening. Roughly 1-2 cm oval shaped fruit. |
| Colour Description | Dark green leaves that turn reddish orange purple with a heavy anthocyanins and carotenoid presence. Interesting autumn colour due to leaf pigmentation and bright, white and yellow hue of the flower. |
| Texture Description | Medium in leaf, and can become somewhat coarse with the emergence of winter. |