PSC 2620: Woody Trees and ShrubCourse HomeWeek 9

Viburnum x rhytidophylloides - Lantanaphyllum or Leatherleaf Viburnum

Plant Viewer
The leaf is oblong dark green. It is thick and has a leathery texture. The veins are inset into the leaf and very visible. The back of the leaf is light colored and pubescent. The veins are very prominent.
Large and showy clusters of flower form during the spring. Image: Ferenczyne Joli The fruit begins red before ripening to black, but it can unreliable.

Plant Description

Viburnum rhytidophylloides, or Leatherleaf Viburnum, is a large deciduous shrub, growing 10-15 feet high and wide. It has a good upright and rounded form, with a well-defined multi-stem form. Somewhat marginal for our climate. New stems are pubescent, while older growth is more glabrous and a rich brown color.

The leaf is oblong in shape and very thick and leathery feeling. The leaf is a rich dark green color on top and a sliver-green on the bottom. The veins are very deeply set on the surface of the leaf making it appear wrinkled from on top. On the bottom, the reticulate vein pattern can be clearly seen and felt. The leaves are arranged oppositely on the stem. A semi-evergreen, the leaves may take on a purplish tinge during the winter.

The flowers are white and appear in spring. They form in cymes that are 4-8 inches wide. The flowers are not as fragrant as those of the Burkwood Viburnum, but they are numerous and fairly showy. Fruiting is inconsistent, but when it does form, it appears in fairly showy clusters of 1/3 inch diameter red, then black, drupes.

Landscape Use

It is well suited to use as a hedge or in shrub border plantings.

Points of Interest

It can experience a moderate amount of dieback in winter, though it will survive and come back after even harsh winter. It is also highly susceptible to sulfur spray, which will cause the plant to defoliate, so care should be taken when using chemicals in the landscapes that those containing sulphur are not applied.

Notable Cultivars

Viburnum lantana Mohican
Fruit is exceptionally bright and showy, turning bright orange or red for more than a month during the summer before turning black in the fall. Grows 10 feet high and wide.



Vibrunum dentatum Christom
A smaller Viburnum, it grows only 5-7 feet high and 3-5 feet wide. It has light green serrated foliage. In the fall the large clusters of fruit ripen to a bright blue color.