Blackhaw Viburnum
This viburnum is the only one native to Kansas and as such it is very adapted to our conditions. The Blackhaw viburnum or Viburnum rufidulum goes by many names including Rusty Blackhaw, Southern Blackhaw, Nannyberry and Southern nannyberry. This viburnum is very adaptable and can be a 10-foot-tall multi stemmed shrub or a 30-foot-tall single stemmed tree depending on the location and how much pruning you do on it. They will also tolerate full sun to partial shade. It has lustrous bright glossy green leaves that will turn pink to mauve to dark purple in autumn. There are beautiful clusters of white flowers in the spring that will turn into attractive blue fruit in the fall. This plant will tolerate moist soils up to dry out cropping’s of soil. Use this as a hedge, shrub border or in naturalized plantings. It does provide nectar for pollinators and fruit for birds or small animals so it would work well in a pollinator or wildlife garden.
