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Viburnum rafinesqueanum Schult.

Downy arrowwood, northern arrowwood

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderDipsacalesIncludes viburnum, honeysuckle, snowberry, beautybush, twinflower, many others
FamilyAdoxaceaeElders and viburnums
GenusViburnumLatin for “a kind of shrub”
SpeciesrafinesqueanumFor Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (1783-1840), a 19th century botanist and friend of James J. Audubon

About plant names...

This species is often misspelled as Viburnum rafinesquianum. It is a North American native.

Identification: This shrub is up to 6' (1.8 m) around. Leaves are oval, wider and rounded at the bottom and pointed at the top, toothed, in opposite pairs. The leaves have fuzzy undersides, and are attached by very short stems ("petioles"). In the fall, they are rose to maroon in color. Cream-colored flowerheads are 3-4" (7.6-10 cm) across, composed of many small sterile 5-petaled flowers about ¼" (6.3 mm) across. Fruits are clusters of pointed ovals, ⅜" (1 cm) × ⅛" (5 mm), ripening as black and shiny.

See this comparison table showing Viburnums that are presently in our database, or this nicely done Viburnum species guide.

Online References:

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (PDF)

Ontario Trees & Shrubs

Www.carolinanature.com

Plants.ces.ncsu.edu

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Illinois Wildflowers

Michiganflora.net

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Viburnum rafinesquianum

Viburnum affine Bush

Viburnum affine Bush var. hypomalacum S.F. Blake

Viburnum rafinesqueanum Schult. var. affine (Bush) House

Viburnum rafinesqueanum Schult. var. rafinesqueanum

 

Viburnum rafinesqueanum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.


  

Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood, northern arrowwood)

7/29/2023 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts

Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood, northern arrowwood)

6/26/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 11 × 7" (27 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood, northern arrowwood)

6/26/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain

Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood, northern arrowwood)

5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm)

Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood, northern arrowwood)

6/26/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood, northern arrowwood)

6/26/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 9 × 6" (23 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

Range: Zones 3-8:

About this map...