Native to Eastern North America, this bush has been known to be a favorite flowering shrub of many professional gardeners. It has not yet reached the general garden such as dogwood or holly however is just as wonderful to place in any garden. The best part, you do not have to be a professional gardener to grow this shrub successfully.
A favorite feast to songbirds, cardinals, robins, starlings, thrashers, thrushes, waxwings, and woodpeckers, this shrub is a great addition to any garden. It is also a favorite of squirrels and chipmunks. Adding to the benefit of this shrub, it is hardy in most regions up to 3A. In addition, they thrive in a garden full of other shrubs, unlike some other species.
When planting this shrub, be sure there is enough room for the mature growth. At maturity, it can grow to a height of almost five to nine feet. If it is a native plant, it can grow up to fifteen feet in height! It enjoys most amounts of sun however for best results it prefers to live in full sun to partial shade. It does not matter if the soil is dry or moist however still needs to be well-drained. Therefore, when planting, be sure to plant the shrub in a slight hump on the ground to make sure the roots are never sitting in puddles of water to assure a well-drained atmosphere. It can also be transplanted without any issues, so if you are one of those gardeners that like to change around the garden in the spring, it is not a problem.
Since this is a multi-stemmed shrub, it can be used as a hedge, near a sidewalk or anywhere that needs a little green coloring. It is deciduous though so make sure you have a female and male at least six feet from each other when planting to get the berries and flowers to bloom.
To distinguish this shrub from others, look for the gray bark. Most shrubs will have at least a light brown coloring however this shrub will have gray branches. The coarsely toothed leaves will grow from two to four inches in length and one to four inches wide. They are rather heart-shaped and have prominent veins. Since the leaves have so many veins, each leaf puckers out between the veins. They will be dark green and shiny in the spring and summer months. In late autumn though the leaves will change many different colors, depending on your environment and the variety you have chosen.
Then, in May to early June, creamy white flower clusters will bloom. Each cluster will be around three inches so it is quite a showcase of flowers. Then, bluish-black berries will appear to bloom on the shrub. Each berry is about a quarter of an inch. Pay close attention though to these berries or you will not notice them since they go very fast. The wildlife just loves these little berries, so they are gone in a hurry.
Arrowwood Viburnum, Viburnum dentate, is a great flowering shrub that anyone can use in the garden. If thinking about creating a wildlife haven for animals in the neighborhood, this is the trick. Most wildlife just loves the berries and gardeners love the showy white flowers. It is a great addition to any garden!
