Viburnum plicatum

Taxobox
name = "Viburnum plicatum"

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image_width = 240px
image_caption = Plant in flower
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Dipsacales
familia = Adoxaceae
genus = "Viburnum"
species = "V. plicatum"
binomial = "Viburnum plicatum"
binomial_authority =

"Viburnum plicatum" (Japanese: "yabudemari", "oodemari") is a species of "Viburnum", native to eastern Asia, in China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.Germplasm Resources Information Network: [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?41404 "Viburnum plicatum"] ]

It is a deciduous shrub growing to 3 m tall. The leaves are opposite, 5–10 cm long and 3–6 cm broad, simple ovate to oval, with a serrated margin. The flowers are produced in flat corymbs 5–10 cm diameter, comprising a central cluster of fertile yellowish-white flowers 5 mm diameter, surrounded by a ring of showy, sterile flowers 2–3 cm diameter, which act as a target guide to pollinating insects. The fruit is an ovoid blue-black drupe 8–10 mm long.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). "New RHS Dictionary of Gardening". Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.] Bean, W. J. (1980). "Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles" 8th ed., vol. 4. John Murray ISBN 0-7195-2428-8.]

Plants from Taiwan are sometimes distinguished as "Viburnum plicatum" var. "formosanum" Liu & Ou.Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute: [http://www.tesri.gov.tw/content/wild/wild_angiosperm_05.asp "Viburnum plicatum" var. "formosanum"] ]

Cultivation and uses

"Viburnum plicatum" is a popular ornamental plant, both in its native area and elsewhere in temperate regions. Some of the more popular cultivars are selected for having all of their flowers large and sterile with few or no fertile flowers; their flowerheads resemble a snowball, giving them the popular name "Japanese snowball bush". Cultivars of this type include 'Grandiflorum' and 'Rotundifolium'. Cultivars with wild-type flowerhead structure include 'Cascade', 'Lanarth', 'Mariesii', and 'Rowallane'.

References