Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum, Southern Blackhaw         vi-BER-num ru-FID-u-lum

• Deciduous shrub or small tree, to about 30 ft (10 m).  Leaves elliptic to elliptic-obovate, 5-10 cm long, base wedge-shape to nearly rounded, tip rounded or tapering, margin serrate, glossy dark green and smooth above, rusty pubescence below, petiole narrowly winged; leaves are reddish purple in fall  Flowers white, in clusters (cymes) 8-12 cm across.  Fruit ellipsoid, 12-15 mm long, dark blue, covered with a waxy bloom.
• Sun to part shade.  Drought tolerant.  Often under use considering its attractive habit.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 5.  Native range from Virginia to Florida, west to Illinois and Texas.
• May be confused with Viburnum prunifolium [Blackhaw Viburnum].  Stephens (1973, p. 282) offers these characteristics to separate them: in summer V. rufidulum has red-rufescent tomentum (red tinged pubescence) on the petioles, broadly winged petioles and leathery leaf blades whereas V. prunifolium lack these characteristics.  In winter the buds of V. rufidulum are dark red brown and those of V. prunifolium are a definite gray-pink.