Viburnum rufidulum - Shrub - Rusty Blackhaw, Southern Blackhaw Page

][3] The petioles are "rusty hairy" with grooves and sometimes wings, while the leaf margins are serrate. This shrub's autumn leaf colors range from bronze to red. Twigs range in color from reddish-brown to gray, with young twigs hairy and becoming smoother with age. The bark resembles that of the flowering dogwood, with a similar color range. Viburnum rufidulum blooms in April to May with creamy white flowers that are bisexual, with clusters as large as six inches wide. The fruits are purple or dark blue, edible drupes that mature in mid to late summer and reportedly taste like raisins, attracting birds. This plant is easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade, preferring light afternoon shade in the St. Louis area. It is a deciduous, suckering shrub or small tree typically growing 10-20' tall and known as the rusty black haw or southern black haw. Its glossy dark green leaves are ovate to obovate and turn reddish-purple in fall. Southern black haw is distinguished from the similar black haw by its rusty brown hairs and glossy green leaves, making it an excellent choice for ornamental purposes.