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Viburnum Leaf Beetle
Guide to identifying viburnums

Which viburnum is it?



Wayfaring Tree
Viburnum lantana

Viburnum leaf
beetle home


Guide to identifying Viburnums

  • Common names

  • Is it a viburnum?

  • Which viburnum?

  • Express key

  • ID tutorial

    Guide to viburnums by David Swaciak.

    Leaf drawings by
    Marcia Eames-Sheavly.

    Logo images by Paul Weston & Craig Cramer

  • Leaves:

    • Deciduous
    • 2 to 5 inches long, 1.5 to 4 inches wide
    • Egg- to football-shaped
    • Very uniform teeth
    • Strongly netlike vein patterns
    • Dense pubescence (hair) on underside
    • Petioles (leaf stems) .75 to 1 inch long.

    Flowers:
    • Flat clusters 3 to 5 inches across. White with yellow stamens.
    V. lantana flower.  Click for larger image.
    Larger image.
    Fruit:
    • Berries in flat clusters
    • Color changes from green to red to blue-black in August and September

    Yellow stamens on Viburnum lantana.  Click for larger image.
    Larger image
    More information:

    Similar Species and distinguishing characteristics:

    Viburnum macrocephalum
    Leaves 2 to 4 inches long, 1.5 to 2.5 inches wide. No fruit.
    Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum
    Leaves 2 to 5 inches long, 1 to 2.5 inches wide. Flowers heads composed of large, showy, outer flowers and small, unshowy inner flowers.

    Viburnum x juddii
    Leaves 1.75 to 2.5 inches long, 1 to 1.75 inches wide. Flowers like half a golfball.

    Back to beginning Which viburnum is it?



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