Native Plant Series: Arrowwood Viburnum

Plant This: Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is an easy-to-grow shrub that is native to the eastern United States. It is drought resistant, low maintenance and a great plant for local wildlife. The leaves are dark green in color and in the spring, it produces flower clusters that attract local pollinators in the late spring to early summer. This native shrub grows 8-12 feet tall and because it grows so tall, it works well as a decorative hedge row when planted together. This Viburnum produces dark blue berries that are well loved by birds. Arrowwood Viburnum is a perfect replacement for Privet, a wildly invasive shrub that is destroying forest understory and riparian areas by crowding out essential species. Privets were once thought of as a perfect hedge species but it quickly escaped the confines of homeowners’ yards. Chinese Privet is one of the worst invasive species in the southeast and it is creeping its way farther north as temperatures rise. European and Border Privets are also prevalent in our area. Herbicides are the best method for control of any species of the privet family.

To learn more about native Arrowwood Viburnum visit https://www.gardenia.net/plant/viburnum-dentatum

To learn more about the dangers of invasive Privets in Maryland, visit https://extension.umd.edu/resource/privet/

This blog series provided by ACWA Student Board Member, Zander Hine.