Viburnum dilatatum Seeds | Linden Viburnum
LATIN NAME: Viburnum dilatatum
COMMON NAME: Linden Viburnum
Plant Profile
Linden Viburnum is a dense, rounded deciduous shrub of the muskroot family, two to three metres tall, with broad, soft, linden-like leaves that are covered in starry hairs and turn dull red or purple in autumn. In late spring it carries flat heads of small white flowers, and in autumn it produces clusters of bright red berries that hold their colour well into winter.
It comes from the woods and thickets of Japan, Korea and China, and it was introduced to Western gardens in the nineteenth century. In North America it has escaped cultivation and is now listed as invasive in several eastern states, where its seedlings form dense thickets in woodland. The leaves are among the largest of the Asian viburnums, which gives the shrub a coarse, bold texture in the border.
Science & Biotechnology
The starry hairs on the leaves are a diagnostic character for the species and for several of its close relatives, and they have been used in keys to separate the Asian viburnums from the European and American ones. The berries are rich in anthocyanins and in vitamin C, and they are eaten by birds once they have softened.
Its early and heavy fruiting, combined with its tolerance of shade, is what makes it a successful invader in the woodlands of eastern North America. The same traits make it valuable to wildlife in its native range, where its berries are an important autumn food for thrushes and waxwings.
Uses & Benefits
The shrub is grown for its autumn berries, which are among the brightest of any viburnum, and for its reddish autumn foliage. It is a good choice for a wildlife garden, since the fruit persists into the months when food is scarce.
The berries are edible for birds but not for people, and the plant should not be encouraged where it is invasive. In its native range the young leaves are sometimes cooked as a vegetable, though the practice is local and not common. The berries are too bitter to eat raw, though they sweeten after frost and are sometimes used in preserves in Japan.
Growing from Seed
Sow in autumn in a pot of moist, loamy compost and leave it outside for the winter; the seed needs cold and moisture, and germination may not be complete until the second spring. Sow thinly and keep the pot shaded until the seedlings appear.
Plant out in sun or part shade in any reasonably fertile soil, and water through the first two summers. Prune lightly after flowering if the shrub becomes leggy, and remove the oldest stems every few years to keep it vigorous. It fruits best when another viburnum of the same species is nearby for cross-pollination.
Our Take
A viburnum grown for its red autumn berries and its linden-like leaves. It is easy and generous in its native range, and a problem in the woodlands where it has escaped.
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