• Photo of Viburnum rhytidophyllum (Viburnum rhytidophyllums)

Plant Profile: Viburnum rhytidophyllum

Taxonomy: Viburnum rhytidophyllum

Names

Leatherleaf Viburnum

  • Photo of Viburnum rhytidophyllum (Viburnum rhytidophyllums)

Phonetic Spelling:vih-BUR-num ry-ti-do-FIL-um

Genus:Viburnum

Species:rhytidophyllum

Family:Viburnaceae

Leatherleaf Viburnum is an evergreen shrub that originates from China and thrives in well-drained soils that range from average to moist and acidic. This plant produces flowers in late spring, with flower buds developing in the late summer to early fall of the previous year, adding an ornamental touch. Its dark green leaves are also attractive, and the vibrant red berries can persist into the winter months. This shrub is ideal for use in mixed borders or as a hedge.

However, it may face challenges such as winter die-back in regions with harsh winters, so it is advisable to plant it in a location that offers protection from cold winds.

**Quick Identification**

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Feature Summary

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Image Gallery

Tags

#white
#evergreen
#specimen
#white flowers
#wildlife plant
#low maintenance
#winter interest
#showy fruits
#hedges
#deer resistant
#red fruits
#fantz
#butterfly friendly
#shrub borders

Similar Plants

Viburnum rhytidophyllum is often confused with:

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Feature Summary

Attributes
Flowers attract butterflies. This plant is mildly resistant to damage by deer.
Fruit
Red drupe turns black and can last into winter
Red/Burgundy
Black
Flowers
Creamy white flowers on 4 to 8 in. flat-topped cyme. Individual small flowers have long stamens, 5 petals and are 1/4 inch wide. Inflorescence is a 7-11 rayed, flat-topped axillary cyme.
White
Cream/Tan
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Leaves are opposite, simple, lanceolate, entire, distinctly rugose, tomentose above and below, 3-7 in long and 1-2 in wide.
Ovate
Oblong
Lanceolate
3-6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
Stems are gray-brown, young stems pubescent.
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Multi-stemmed
Erect
Open
Coarse
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)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Attributes

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Country Or Region Of Origin

China

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Wildlife Value

Flowers attract butterflies. This plant is mildly resistant to damage by deer.

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Fruit

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Fruit Description

Red drupe turns black and can last into winter

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Fruit Type

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Red/Burgundy

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Flowers

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Flower Description

Creamy white flowers on 4 to 8 in. flat-topped cyme. Individual small flowers have long stamens, 5 petals and are 1/4 inch wide. Inflorescence is a 7-11 rayed, flat-topped axillary cyme.

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Cream/Tan
filter_vintage
White

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Flower Value To Gardener

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: 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 rhytidophyllum: Flower Shape

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Flower Size

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Leaves

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Leaf Description

Leaves are opposite, simple, lanceolate, entire, distinctly rugose, tomentose above and below, 3-7 in long and 1-2 in wide.

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Leaf Type

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: 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 rhytidophyllum: Leaf Margin

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Leaf Length

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Leaf Width

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Stem

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Stem Description

Stems are gray-brown, young stems pubescent.

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Gray/Silver

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Whole Plant Traits

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: 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 rhytidophyllum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: 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 rhytidophyllum: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Cultural Conditions

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: 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 rhytidophyllum: Soil pH

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Soil Drainage

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

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Landscape

Viburnum rhytidophyllum: 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 rhytidophyllum: 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 rhytidophyllum: 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 rhytidophyllum: Attracts

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