• Photo of Viburnum tinus (Viburnum tinuss)

Plant Profile: Viburnum tinus

Taxonomy: Viburnum tinus

Names

Laurustine, Laurustinus Viburnum

  • Photo of Viburnum tinus (Viburnum tinuss)

Phonetic Spelling:vih-BUR-num TIN-us

Genus:Viburnum

Species:tinus

Family:Viburnaceae

Laurustine is a viburnum species that thrives in the Mediterranean regions of Europe and Africa. It is well-suited to coastal environments, exhibiting some tolerance to salt and drought. This plant produces clusters of pink buds that bloom into white flowers during the winter and spring. Its glossy, dark green foliage remains attractive throughout the year. To ensure fruit production, it is necessary to plant another type of viburnum nearby. This shrub can be effectively used as a standalone specimen or as a hedge, thriving in full sun to partial shade.

**Quick Identification**

Viburnum tinus Feature Summary

Viburnum tinus Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#shrub
#salt tolerant
#low maintenance
#spring flowers
#winter interest
#hedges
#cpp
#deer resistant
#borders
#spring interest
#screening
#pollinator plant
#fantz
#bird friendly
#butterfly friendly
#partial shade tolerant
#late winter flowers
#bee friendly

Similar Plants

Viburnum tinus is often confused with:

Viburnum tinus Feature Summary

Attributes
Mediterranean area of Europe and North Africa
Attracts butterflies, birds, and bees
This plant is mildly resistant to damage by deer; drought
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
Fruit is an ovoid, berry-like, one-seeded drupe, blue maturing to purplish-black, 0.4 in.
Black
Blue
Fall
Winter
Spring
< 1 inch
Flowers
Pink buds open to 2 to 4 in. clusters of waxy flattened white flowers in late winter to early spring. The inflorescence is a convex terminal cyme.
Pink
White
Spring
Winter
4-5 petals/rays
1-3 inches
Leaves
Leaves opposite, simple, narrowly ovate to oblong, entire, lustrous dark green above and paler with axillary hair tufts beneath; petiole usually pubescent.
Green
Variegated
Ovate
Oblong
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Multi-stemmed
Rounded
Erect
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)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Winter Garden
Cottage Garden
Border
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Screen/Privacy
Specimen
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees

Viburnum tinus Attributes

Viburnum tinus: Country Or Region Of Origin

Mediterranean area of Europe and North Africa

Viburnum tinus: Wildlife Value

Attracts butterflies, birds, and bees

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

This plant is mildly resistant to damage by deer; drought

Viburnum tinus: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Viburnum tinus: 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 tinus Fruit

Viburnum tinus: Fruit Description

Fruit is an ovoid, berry-like, one-seeded drupe, blue maturing to purplish-black, 0.4 in.

Viburnum tinus: Fruit Type

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

Viburnum tinus: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Blue

Viburnum tinus: Fruit Value To Gardener

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

Viburnum tinus: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Viburnum tinus: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Viburnum tinus: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Viburnum tinus Flowers

Viburnum tinus: Flower Description

Pink buds open to 2 to 4 in. clusters of waxy flattened white flowers in late winter to early spring. The inflorescence is a convex terminal cyme.

Viburnum tinus: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
White

Viburnum tinus: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Viburnum tinus: Flower Value To Gardener

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

Viburnum tinus: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Viburnum tinus: 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 tinus: Flower Size

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

Viburnum tinus Leaves

Viburnum tinus: Leaf Description

Leaves opposite, simple, narrowly ovate to oblong, entire, lustrous dark green above and paler with axillary hair tufts beneath; petiole usually pubescent.

Viburnum tinus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Viburnum tinus: Leaf Color

spa
Green
spa
Variegated

Viburnum tinus: Leaf Type

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

Viburnum tinus: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Viburnum tinus: 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 tinus: Leaf Margin

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

Viburnum tinus: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Viburnum tinus: Leaf Length

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

Viburnum tinus: Leaf Feel

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

Viburnum tinus: Leaf Width

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

Viburnum tinus Whole Plant Traits

Viburnum tinus: 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 tinus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Viburnum tinus: 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 tinus: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Viburnum tinus: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Viburnum tinus: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Viburnum tinus Cultural Conditions

Viburnum tinus: 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 tinus: Soil Drainage

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

Viburnum tinus: 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 tinus: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Viburnum tinus: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Viburnum tinus: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Viburnum tinus Stem

Viburnum tinus: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Viburnum tinus Landscape

Viburnum tinus: 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 tinus: 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 tinus: 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 tinus: 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 tinus: Attracts

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