Virginia Tech Dendrology

hobblebush Caprifoliaceae Viburnum lantanoides Michx. symbol: VILA11
Leaf: Opposite, simple, serrated margin, broadly ovate to heart shaped, 4 to 8 inches long, pubescent when young, green with sunken veins above, somewhat lighter below.
Flower: White to pink in large clusters (3 to 4 inches across), flowers on margin of clusters with much larger petals, showy, appearing in late spring.
Fruit: Clusters of oval drupes (1/3 inch long) that are initially red, later turning black, ripe in late summer.
Twig: Slender to moderately stout, brownish green with light lenticels; opposite buds are naked, and covered with tan, scruffy pubescent that extends down the twig; small branches often fall over and root where they touch the ground.
Bark: Initially gray-brown and warty, later splitting into shallow ridges and furrows.
Form: Sprawling, straggling shrub that may reach 10 feet. Branches often lay prostrate along the ground making it easy to trip over.
Looks like: wayfaringtree viburnum - nannyberry

Additional Range Information: Viburnum lantanoides is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information