Viburnum lantana

Taxobox
name = "Viburnum lantana"

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image_width = 240px
image_caption = Foliage and immature fruit
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Dipsacales
familia = Adoxaceae
genus = "Viburnum"
species = "V. lantana"
binomial = "Viburnum lantana"
binomial_authority = L.

"Viburnum lantana" (Wayfaring Tree) is a species of "Viburnum", native to central, southern and western Europe (north to Yorkshire in England), northwest Africa, and southwestern Asia. [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Viburnum+&SPECIES_XREF=lantana&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: "Viburnum lantana"] ] Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). "Flora of Britain and Northern Europe". ISBN 0-340-40170-2] Huxley, A., ed. (1992). "New RHS Dictionary of Gardening". Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.]

It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 4-5 m tall. The leaves are opposite, simple oval to lanceolate, 6-13 cm long and 4-9 cm broad, with a finely serrated margin; they are densely downy on the underside, less so on the upper surface. The hermaphrodite flowers are small (5 mm), creamy-white, produced in dense cymes 4-10 cm diameter at the top of the stems; they are produced in early summer, and pollinated by insects. The fruit is an oblong drupe 8 mm long, green at first, turning red, then finally black at full maturity, and contains a single seed. The seeds are dispersed when birds eat the fruit, then deposit the seeds in another location in their droppings.

An older name for the plant is hoarwithy. 'Hoar' means white and is in reference to the white hairs under the leaves, whilst 'withy' means a pliant stem. [ The Reader's Digest Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Britain "p.87".]

Cultivation and uses

It is commonly grown as an ornamental plant for its flowers and berries, growing best on alkaline soils. A number of cultivars have been selected, including 'Aureum', with yellow leaves in spring.

The fruit is mildly toxic, and may cause vomiting or diarrhoea if eaten in large amounts.Plants for a Future: [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Viburnum+lantana "Viburnum lantana"] ]

References