Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Narrow, straight stems that were used for making arrows by native Americans.
Plant Profile: Viburnum rafinesqueanum
Taxonomy: Viburnum rafinesqueanumNames
Downy Arrowwood, Downy Arrow-wood
Phonetic Spelling:vih-BUR-num raf-in-ess-KWI-an-um
Genus:Viburnum
Species:rafinesqueanum
Family:Viburnaceae
Downy Arrowwood is a charming shrub and ranks among the smallest native Viburnums, typically reaching heights of 6 to 10 feet. It thrives in the understory of forests and along the edges of woodlands, particularly in the piedmont region of North Carolina. This plant favors dry environments, growing best in sunny to partially shaded areas with clay loam that contains some rocky elements. Once established, it demonstrates impressive drought resistance. In May, Downy Arrowwood produces abundant, eye-catching clusters of white flowers, which are later replaced by purple, berry-like drupes that attract various wildlife.
This versatile plant is ideal for use in shrub borders, around foundations, or in naturalized and woodland settings. Birds will certainly appreciate your choice!
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Feature Summary
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Image Gallery
Tags
#showy flowers
#deciduous
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#white flowers
#shrub
#wildlife plant
#native shrub
#spring flowers
#berries
#food source
#NC native
#deer resistant
#foundation planting
#native garden
#naturalizes
#larval host plant
#food source summer
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#fruits
#bird friendly
#food source soft mast fruit
#partial shade tolerant
#audubon
#shrub borders
Similar Plants
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Feature Summary
Attributes
Narrow, straight stems that were used for making arrows by native Americans.
Eastern and Mid North America
AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: MB , ON
It is a potential host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly. Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, grouse, wild turkeys and squirrels. Its twigs and leaves are browsed by white-tailed deer.
Perennial
Woody
Edible fruit
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Fruit
1/4-1/2 inch compressed oval drupe that matures to blue-black in June to July.
Drupe
Black
Blue
Summer
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
Flower clusters are borne at the tips of last year's branches and are 1.5-3 inches across. Creamy-white 1/4 inch flowers have 5 petals and extruded stamens with yellow tips.
White
Cream/Tan
Spring
4-5 petals/rays
Bell
Saucer
< 1 inch
Leaves
Oval leaves simple, opposite and 1.5 to 3 inches long and 1-2 inches across. They are dark green to reddish-green with paler undersides and hairs along the veins. Apex is pointed, margins are coarsely toothed and the base is rounded with a pair of slender stipules. Fall color is reddish.
Deciduous
Green
Red/Burgundy
Red/Burgundy
Simple
Opposite
Elliptical
Lanceolate
Serrate
Dentate
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Bark
The short trunk or lower branches are gray and somewhat wrinkled, while upper branches are gray and more smooth.
Dark Gray
Stem
Young stems are light green to reddish-green, round, and slightly pubescent. Widely scattered white lenticels occur on the upper branches and shoots.
Green
Red/Burgundy
Round
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Native Plant
Deciduous
Erect
Dense
Slow
Low
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)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
3 feet-6 feet
12 inches-3 feet
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Rock Garden
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Border
Foundation Planting
Drought
Salt
Compaction
Woodland
Lawn
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees
Small Mammals
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Image Gallery
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Attributes
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Country Or Region Of Origin
Eastern and Mid North America
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Distribution
AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: MB , ON
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Wildlife Value
It is a potential host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly. Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, grouse, wild turkeys and squirrels. Its twigs and leaves are browsed by white-tailed deer.
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Fruit
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Fruit Description
1/4-1/2 inch compressed oval drupe that matures to blue-black in June to July.
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Fruit Color
Black
Blue
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Flowers
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Flower Description
Flower clusters are borne at the tips of last year's branches and are 1.5-3 inches across. Creamy-white 1/4 inch flowers have 5 petals and extruded stamens with yellow tips.
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Flower Color
Cream/Tan
White
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Leaves
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Leaf Description
Oval leaves simple, opposite and 1.5 to 3 inches long and 1-2 inches across. They are dark green to reddish-green with paler undersides and hairs along the veins. Apex is pointed, margins are coarsely toothed and the base is rounded with a pair of slender stipules. Fall color is reddish.
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Leaf Color
Green
Red/Burgundy
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Red/Burgundy
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Bark
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Bark Description
The short trunk or lower branches are gray and somewhat wrinkled, while upper branches are gray and more smooth.
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Bark Color
Dark Gray
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Stem
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Stem Description
Young stems are light green to reddish-green, round, and slightly pubescent. Widely scattered white lenticels occur on the upper branches and shoots.
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Stem Color
Green
Red/Burgundy
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Whole Plant Traits
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Cultural Conditions
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Viburnum rafinesqueanum Landscape
Viburnum rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: 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 rafinesqueanum: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
