Downy Arrowwood

Botanical Name: Viburnum rafinesquianum
Other Names: downy arrowwood viburnum, Missouri viburnum, rafinesque viburnum
Family: Adoxaceae Native to: Eastern North America
Hardy to zone: 3
Eco benefits: attracts pollinators, attracts birds
Natural habitat: waters edge, inner forests, forest edge
Shapes: round, multi-stemmed, oblong, clump
Height: 5-8ft
Growth rate: medium
Unique attractions: flowers
Common uses: hedge, landscaping, specimen, naturalized plantings
Light: full sun, partial shade
Soil: moist and fertile, well drained, tolerates heavy clay, drought tolerant, alkaline ph, dry

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Downy arrowwood is a deciduous shrub, 5-8 feet tall, native to eastern North America. It is noted for its finely twigged display of showy flower clusters and can be used as an ornamental substitute for the southern arrowwood. Downy arrowwood prefers full sun to part shade, suckers readily, and is drought tolerant once established.

Leaves are ovate to elliptic with coarse teeth and tips coming to a point. The colour is dark green above, densely pubescent below, and a pair of stipules are present at the base of the leaf. Leaves turn purplish red in the fall. Young stems are reddish-brown with a silvery gray coating. Older stems have rust-like lenticels. A showy display of white flowers in flat toped clusters appear in May. Clusters of fruit (drupes) turn to bluish black when ripe and attract wildlife