| Viburnum plicatum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Dipsacales |
| Family: | Adoxaceae |
| Genus: | Viburnum |
| Species: | V. plicatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Viburnum plicatum | |
Viburnum plicatum is a species of flowering plant in the familyAdoxaceae (formerlyCaprifoliaceae), native to mainland China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.[1] The Latinspecific epithetplicatum means "pleated", referring to the texture of the leaves.[2]
Growing to 3 m (10 ft) tall, it is adeciduous shrub. The leaves are opposite, 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long and 3–6 cm (1–2 in) broad, simpleovate to oval, with a serrated margin.
Plants from Taiwan are sometimes distinguished asViburnum plicatum var.formosanum Liu & Ou.[3]
The flowers are produced in flatcorymbs 5–10 cm (2–4 in) in diameter, comprising a central cluster of fertile yellowish-white flowers 5 mm (0.20 in) in diameter, surrounded by a ring of showy, sterile flowers 2–3 cm in diameter, which act as a target guide to pollinating insects. The fruit is an ovoid blue-blackdrupe 8–10 mm long.[4][5]
Viburnum plicatum is a popularornamental plant, both in its native area and other temperate regions. Some of the more popularcultivars 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 nameJapanese snowball bush. Cultivars of this type include 'Grandiflorum' and 'Rotundifolium'.
Cultivars with wild-type flowerhead structure are sometimes described as a separatebotanical formV. plicatum f.tomentosum. They include 'Cascade', 'Lanarth' and 'Rowallane'.[4][5]
The following cultivars in this group have received theRoyal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit:[6]
