Soft Arrow - Wood

Order: Dipsacales

Family: Caprifoliaceae

Genus: Viburnum

Species: V. dentatum

Identifying Characteristics:

- arrow- wood is a deciduous shrub (potentially a small tree) with slender trunk(s) and arching branches

- gets no more 6-10 ft (1.8-3 m) tall

- Arrow-wood usually has multiple trunks and expands its domain by sending up new shoots from underground runners

- dark green leaves are opposite, a little sandpapery to the touch, and coarsely toothed along the margins. A prominent lateral vein terminates at the tip of each marginal tooth. The leaves are oval and usually 2-3 in (5-7.7 cm) long.

- Arrow-wood blooms in mid-spring with showy flat topped clusters of little creamy white flowers. The flowers are about an eighth-inch across and the clusters are 3-4 in (7.7-10 cm) across.

- The bluish black fruits (1-seeded drupes) are ovoid in shape, a little less than a half-inch long, and the clusters can be quite showy. They are bitter to the taste.

Special Adaptations:

- The viburnums are similar to the dogwoods (Cornus) in that most members of both genera are deciduous shrubs with opposite leaves and tiny whitish flowers in rounded, flat-topped clusters.

- It occurs in mesic woods, usually growing in the understory of mixed hardwood forests of oaks, magnolias, maples, hickories, American beech and the like. Arrow-wood grows on both poorly drained and well drained soils.

- Arrow-wood thrives in partial shade and in full sun

- Arrow-wood is able to tolerate drought once it is established

- Viburnum seeds are difficult to germinate because they have a required period of dormancy and hard seed coats. Under the best of conditions, arrow-wood seeds will take a year to germinate.