Viburnum acerifolium L.

Maple Leaf Viburnum; Dockmackie; Maple Leaf Arrow Wood

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Maple Leaf Viburnum is a native deciduous shrub in the Moschatel family (Adoxaceae). It is native to most counties in Alabama. Maple Leaf Viburnum occurs in dry to mesic pine or hardwood forests, along streams, and on slopes. It is a deciduous colonial shrub growing 3-6 feet in height. The deciduous leaves are opposite, petiolate, 3-lobed, with serrate margins. The leaves are pubescent with simple or stellate hairs and have reddish-black resin dots below. The leaves turn reddish-purple or orange before falling in the autumn. Flowers are produced in flat-topped compound cymes at the ends of new growth. A cyme is a branched inflorescence (cluster of flowers) in which the central flower opens first and the lateral flowers open in sequence, from the inside out. The individual flowers are five-lobed and creamy white in color. The fruit is a purplish-black drupe (a fleshy fruit in which the seed is surrounded by a hard stony pit). The fruit are eaten by birds and small mammals. Maple Leaf Viburnum is available from many native plant nurseries. It is easy to grow in average to dry soils, and is more shade tolerant than other members of the genus. Plants grown in full sun have a more compact growth form and produce more flowers and fruit. Maple Leaf Viburnum is the larval food plant for the Spring Azure Butterfly (Celastrina ladon).—A. Diamond

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Native FACU (NWPL)

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