Need a versatile native shrub with excellent year-round interest? Viburnum lentago, AKA nannyberry or blackhaw viburnum, features showy white flowers in May, followed by burgundy leaf color and dark blue berries in autumn. These berries are a welcome late season food source for birds and mammals (including, according to folklore, nanny goats!) This large upright shrub is a member of the same family as elderberry (Adoxaceae) so you can expect it to spread and form colonies, making it a good choice for a privacy screen or hedgerow. It can also be maintained as a small tree by pruning stems and removing the suckers at the base.
This viburnum is a superstar host plant for the caterpillars of numerous small moth species. Such larval residents as pink prominent, hummingbird clearwing, and green marvel moths can all make a home here. The resulting bountiful buffet makes it a top wildlife plant for nesting birds who are seeking a good supply of protein for their nestlings.Like other viburnums, lentago has “perfect flowers” (containing both male and female parts), but the flowers are self-infertile. This means that they’ll flower profusely whether or not pollination occurs, but poor fruiting will result in lone specimens–so make sure to provide a friend or two!
