Common Name: Downy Arrowwood

Part sun; medium to moderately dry moisture; clay loam and sandy loam soils; prefers circumneutral pH but tolerates alkaline soil. 5-6 feet height; white flowers; blooms in May; ¼” – ½” black berries in summer.

Growth Rate:  Slow

Maintenance:  Transplants well.  Relatively carefree.

Propagation:  ?

Native Region:  Occurs in only 4 counties in the Ridge and Valley and the Blue Ridge Provinces – Claiborne, Hancock, Sullivan and Polk.

Designated a “Special Concern” species in Tennessee.  One of the smallest native viburnums, a carefree and underutilized species.   Shrub has multiple straight stems in a loose habit.  Leaves are quite small, about half the size of Arrowwood Viburnum.  A heavy bloomer in May, with showy flat-topped clusters of fragrant, white flowers, followed by black to dark blue berries in mid-summer when little other fruit is available for birds.  Foliage turns colorful reds and purples in fall.  Prefers dry conditions and is drought tolerant once established; however tolerates full sun only if soil is consistently moist.  Native to rocky woods, forest edges, old fields, and dry slopes and banks.

Flowers attract bees and butterflies.  Berries attract songbirds, grouse, turkeys and squirrels.  Host plant for the Spring azure butterfly.