Virginia Tech Dendrology

leatherleaf viburnum Caprifoliaceae Viburnum rhytidophyllum Hemsl. symbol: VIRH
Leaf: Opposite, simple, evergreen, narrowly oblong, 4 to 7 inches long, entire margin, conspicuously wrinkled, scruffy and thick, dark green above, much paler and tomentose below.
Flower: Showy 3 to 7 inch clusters of small white flowers, appearing in mid-spring.
Fruit: Clusters of oval drupes (1/3 inch long) that are initially red and scaly, later turning black, ripen in late summer.
Twig: Moderate, very tomentose, tan to rusty brown; terminal buds large, naked and fuzzy, flower buds in a tight cluster.
Bark: Dark gray with shallow splits.
Form: A large, multi-stemmed, dense shrub that reaches heights of 15 feet.
Looks like: wayfaringtree viburnum - doublefile viburnum - great rhododendron

Additional Range Information: Viburnum rhytidophyllum is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
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