• Photo of Viburnum cassinoides (Viburnum cassinoidess)

Plant Profile: Viburnum cassinoides

Taxonomy: Viburnum cassinoides

Names

Blue Haw, Northern Wild Raisin, Swamp Haw, Wild Raisin, Withe-rod, Witherod Viburnum

  • Photo of Viburnum cassinoides (Viburnum cassinoidess)

Phonetic Spelling:vih-BUR-num kass-ih-NOY-deez

Genus:Viburnum

Species:cassinoides

Family:Viburnaceae

Blue Haw Viburnum is a deciduous shrub native to the Eastern United States and Canada, characterized by its multi-stemmed structure and a dense, rounded form with gracefully arching branches. Typically, it reaches heights and widths of 5 to 6 feet, although it can occasionally grow up to 12 feet tall. This shrub thrives in its natural environments, which include bogs, moist high-elevation forests, rocky outcrops, and the edges of streams or ponds. In spring, it produces striking clusters of creamy white flowers, while its fall foliage offers a variable yet vibrant display. The fruits also transition in color throughout the fall and into winter, adding further visual interest.

For optimal growth, Blue Haw Viburnum prefers average to wet, well-drained soils and can flourish in full sun to partial shade. Once established, it can adapt to drier conditions.

In terms of pests and diseases, Blue Haw Viburnum generally faces few serious threats. However, it may occasionally be affected by aphids, borers, nematodes, scale, and thrips. Additionally, it can experience minor issues with leaf spot, anthracnose, and powdery mildew.

Viburnum cassinoides Feature Summary

Viburnum cassinoides Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#deciduous
#fall color
#full sun tolerant
#white flowers
#shrub
#wildlife plant
#deciduous shrub
#native shrub
#low maintenance
#winter interest
#pond margins
#moist soil
#NC native
#deer resistant
#native garden
#food source summer
#food source fall
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#bird friendly
#food source soft mast fruit
#fall color red
#fall color purple
#partial shade tolerant
#bog gardens
#audubon

Similar Plants

Viburnum cassinoides is often confused with:

Viburnum cassinoides Feature Summary

Attributes
Cherokee used the plant for medicinal purposes
Eastern North America
AL , CT , DC , DE , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV
Birds and mammals are attracted to the berries. Mildly resistant to deer.
Heat, drought, and soil compaction tolerant.
Perennial
Woody
Fruit
Small green fruit turns iridescent pink to red then blue and black sometimes with different colored fruits in the same cluster. On display from August through winter.
Green
Red/Burgundy
Pink
Black
Blue
Summer
Fall
Winter
< 1 inch
Flowers
Creamy white flowers with yellow stamens from May to June on 2"-5" cymes. Individual flowers are 1/4 inch wide.
White
Cream/Tan
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Oval leaves are dull dark green and 1.5 to 3.5 inches long. New growth is bronze to purple-tinged. The tip is acute or bluntly pointed, base rounded or wedge-shaped, margin irregularly toothed. Fall color is crimson, purple or orange-red and showy.
Green
Red/Burgundy
Orange
Purple/Lavender
Purple/Lavender
Orange
Red/Burgundy
Elliptical
Ovate
Entire
Crenate
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Bark
Smooth, gray-brown bark dotted with lenticels.
Dark Gray
Dark Brown
Stem
Stems are brown and rough.
Brown/Copper
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Native Plant
Arching
Multi-stemmed
Rounded
Dense
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Occasionally Dry
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Winter Garden
Rain Garden
Native Garden
Water Garden
Hedge
Mass Planting
Specimen
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Riparian
Pond
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Small Mammals

Viburnum cassinoides Attributes

Viburnum cassinoides: Uses (Ethnobotany)

Cherokee used the plant for medicinal purposes

Viburnum cassinoides: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern North America

Viburnum cassinoides: Distribution

AL , CT , DC , DE , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV

Viburnum cassinoides: Wildlife Value

Birds and mammals are attracted to the berries. Mildly resistant to deer.

Viburnum cassinoides: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Heat, drought, and soil compaction tolerant.

Viburnum cassinoides: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Viburnum cassinoides Fruit

Viburnum cassinoides: Fruit Description

Small green fruit turns iridescent pink to red then blue and black sometimes with different colored fruits in the same cluster. On display from August through winter.

Viburnum cassinoides: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Viburnum cassinoides: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Blue
grass
Green
grass
Pink
grass
Red/Burgundy

Viburnum cassinoides: Fruit Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Viburnum cassinoides: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Viburnum cassinoides: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Viburnum cassinoides: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Viburnum cassinoides Flowers

Viburnum cassinoides: Flower Description

Creamy white flowers with yellow stamens from May to June on 2"-5" cymes. Individual flowers are 1/4 inch wide.

Viburnum cassinoides: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Cream/Tan
filter_vintage
White

Viburnum cassinoides: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Viburnum cassinoides: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Viburnum cassinoides: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Viburnum cassinoides: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Viburnum cassinoides: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Viburnum cassinoides: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Viburnum cassinoides Leaves

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Description

Oval leaves are dull dark green and 1.5 to 3.5 inches long. New growth is bronze to purple-tinged. The tip is acute or bluntly pointed, base rounded or wedge-shaped, margin irregularly toothed. Fall color is crimson, purple or orange-red and showy.

Viburnum cassinoides: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Color

spa
Green
spa
Orange
spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Viburnum cassinoides: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Orange
spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Viburnum cassinoides: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Viburnum cassinoides: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Viburnum cassinoides Bark

Viburnum cassinoides: Bark Description

Smooth, gray-brown bark dotted with lenticels.

Viburnum cassinoides: Bark Color

grass
Dark Brown
grass
Dark Gray

Viburnum cassinoides Stem

Viburnum cassinoides: Stem Description

Stems are brown and rough.

Viburnum cassinoides: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper

Viburnum cassinoides: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Viburnum cassinoides Whole Plant Traits

Viburnum cassinoides: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Viburnum cassinoides: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Viburnum cassinoides: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Viburnum cassinoides: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Viburnum cassinoides: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Viburnum cassinoides: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Viburnum cassinoides Cultural Conditions

Viburnum cassinoides: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Viburnum cassinoides: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Viburnum cassinoides: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Viburnum cassinoides: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Viburnum cassinoides: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Viburnum cassinoides: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Viburnum cassinoides: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Viburnum cassinoides Landscape

Viburnum cassinoides: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Viburnum cassinoides: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Viburnum cassinoides: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Viburnum cassinoides: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Viburnum cassinoides: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees