Viburnum acerifolium

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Viburnum acerifolium
Viburnum acerifolium.jpg
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Adoxaceae
Genus: Viburnum
Species:
V. acerifolium
Binomial name
Viburnum acerifolium
L.
Viac.png
Natural range in North America

Viburnum acerifolium, the mapleleaf viburnum, maple-leaved arrowwood [2] or dockmackie, [3] is a species of Viburnum , native to eastern North America from southwestern Quebec and Ontario south to northern Florida and eastern Texas. [4] It is adapted for USDA hardiness zones of 4 to 8.

Contents

Description

It is a shrub growing to 1–2 metres (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) tall. The leaves are in opposite pairs, 5–10 centimetres (2.0–3.9 in) long and broad, three- to five-lobed, the lobes with a serrated margin, and the leaf surface has a fuzzy texture. There is a diverse manifestation of autumn color with this species from pale yellow to bright yellow to orange or pink, rose, or red-purple depending on the light exposure and weather conditions. The flowers are white with five small petals, produced in terminal cymes 4–8 centimetres (1.6–3.1 in) diameter. The fruit is a small red to purple-black drupe 4–8 mm (about 1/3") long. It attracts butterflies and birds. Viburnum acerifolium is a larval host to the Celastrina ladon butterfly. It grows in and around upland forest, able to do well in full shade and dry soils. It grows mostly in acid soil of pH 5.0 to 6.5, but can tolerate up to 7.5. The shrub often suckers and can form a colony in time.

Distribution

Viburnum acerifolium is found in such US states as Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island New York and Vermont [5] as well as Illinois, Wisconsin, Florida, Arkansas and Texas. [6]

Habitat

Landscape architects and designers have often recommended it for shady, dry locations for several decades, but it is only sold at a few very large, diverse nurseries or specialty or native plant nurseries and is not generally well known in the trade or with homeowners. Its native habitats include thickets, mixed woods, bluffs, and ravines. [7]

Ecology

The species' flowers are known for production of nectar and pollen which are then carried by the bee species from Andrenidae and Halictidae families as well as flies from the Empididae and Syrphidae families. The flowers also attract beetles, wasps and various butterflies (including skippers). [8]

The berries are eaten by various mammals including skunks, rabbits, deer, [6] the eastern chipmunk, white-footed mouse and deer mice. V. acerifolium also attracts various aphids, such as Viburnum leaf beetle, the wood-boring larvae of Oberea deficiens and Oberea tripunctata . [8]

The scientific and common names refer to the superficial similarity of the leaves to those of some maples ( Acer ); the plant is occasionally mistaken for young maples, but is readily distinguished by the flowers and fruit; the viburnum produces small, purple berries, while maples produce dry, winged seeds.

Showing fall foliage and drupes in Massachusetts Viburnum acerifolium, mapleleaf viburnum, 19 Oct 2015, Wrentham, MA.jpg
Showing fall foliage and drupes in Massachusetts

Uses

The black berries, available from late summer to autumn, can be made into jam. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Viburnum</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae

Viburnum is a genus of about 150–175 species of flowering plants in the moschatel family, Adoxaceae. Its current classification is based on molecular phylogeny. It was previously included in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae.

<i>Lindera benzoin</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Echinacea purpurea</i> Species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae

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<i>Calliandra eriophylla</i> Species of legume

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<i>Liatris spicata</i> Species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae

Liatris spicata, the dense blazing star, prairie feather, gayfeather or button snakewort, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to eastern North America where it grows in moist prairies and sedge meadows.

<i>Rubus ursinus</i> Berry and plant

Rubus ursinus is a North American species of blackberry or dewberry, known by the common names California blackberry, California dewberry, Douglas berry, Pacific blackberry, Pacific dewberry and trailing blackberry.

<i>Lonicera sempervirens</i> Species of honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens is a flowering plant species of honeysuckle vine native to the eastern United States which is known for its reddish flowers.

<i>Viburnum nudum</i> Species of shrub

Viburnum nudum is a deciduous shrub in the genus Viburnum within the muskroot family, Adoxaceae.

<i>Sambucus racemosa</i> Species of plant

Sambucus racemosa is a species of elderberry known by the common names red elderberry and red-berried elder.

<i>Ribes aureum</i> Species of plant

Ribes aureum, known by the common names golden currant, clove currant, pruterberry and buffalo currant, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Ribes native to North America.

<i>Viburnum lantanoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Viburnum lantanoides is a perennial shrub of the family Adoxaceae, growing 2–4 meters (6–12 ft) high with pendulous branches that take root where they touch the ground. These rooted branches form obstacles which easily trip walkers – hence the common name.

<i>Viburnum rufidulum</i> Species of shrub

Viburnum rufidulum, also known as the rusty blackhaw, blue haw, rusty nanny-berry, or southern black haw, is a flowering species of shrub or small tree that is common in parts of the Eastern and Central United States. It produces attractive flowers and fall foliage, as well as fruits that are popular with some species of bird.

<i>Sambucus cerulea</i> Species of tree

Sambucus cerulea or Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea, with the common names blue elderberry and blue elder, is a coarse textured shrub species of elder in the family Adoxaceae.

<i>Liatris punctata</i> Species of flowering plant

Liatris punctata is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names dotted gayfeather, dotted blazingstar, and narrow-leaved blazingstar. It is native to North America, where it occurs throughout the plains of central Canada, the central United States, and northern Mexico.

<i>Asclepias quadrifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Asclepias quadrifolia, commonly called four-leaved milkweed or fourleaf milkweed, is a species of milkweed in the Apocynaceae (dogbane) family. It is sometimes referred to as whorled milkweed, but it should not be confused with Asclepias verticillata. A. quadrifolia occurs in the eastern United States and Canada.

<i>Verbena simplex</i> Species of flowering plant

Verbena simplex, commonly known as narrowleaf vervain, is a perennial herbaceous plant plant in the Verbenaceae (vervain) family. It is native to central and eastern North America where it is found in open, dry, habitats on calcareous soil. It produces lavender flowers in the summer.

<i>Ribes acerifolium</i> Species of currant

Ribes acerifolium is a North American species of currant known by the common names mapleleaf currant and maple-leaved currant. It is native to the Canadian Province of British Columbia as well as to the northwestern United States.

<i>Viburnum dilatatum</i> Species of shrub

Viburnum dilatatum, commonly known as linden arrowwood or linden viburnum, is a deciduous shrub in the moschatel family (Adoxaceae). It is native to eastern Asia, and can be found as an introduced plant in the mid-Atlantic regions in the U.S from New York to Virginia. Linden arrowwood is known for the clusters of red drupes it produces when it is mature.

<i>Verbena canadensis</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Verbenaceae

Verbena canadensis, commonly known as rose mock vervain, rose verbena, clump verbena or rose vervain is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the verbena family (Verbenaceae) with showy pink to purple flowers.. It is native to the eastern and south-central areas of the United States. This species is widely cultivated as an ornamental, and naturalized populations have been established outside its native range, such as in the northeastern U.S.

<i>Triosteum perfoliatum</i> Species of plant

Triosteum perfoliatum, commonly known as perfoliate tinker's-weed, late horse gentian, common horse gentian, perfoliate-leaved horse-gentian, feverwort, and wild coffee, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle). It is found in eastern and central North America. The yellow-orange berries can be dried, roasted, ground, and used as a coffee substitute.

References

  1. "Viburnum acerifolium". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  2. "Maple-leaved viburnum". Tree Morton Arboretum. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  3. "Viburnum acerifolium". University of Connecticut. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  4. "Viburnum acerifolium". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  5. "Viburnum acerifolium L." New England Wild. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  6. 1 2 "Viburnum acerifolium L." (PDF). NRCS . USDA . Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  7. "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  8. 1 2 "Maple-Leaved Viburnum". Illinois Wild Flowers. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  9. Niering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 451. ISBN   0-394-50432-1.