Viburnum x rhytidophylloides - Lantanaphyllum Viburnum (Adoxaceae) ------Viburnum x rhytidophylloides is a large shrub known Trunk for its upright growth habit, leathery, semi-evergreen, -strongly multi-stemmed to multi-trunked, bold- dense foliage, utilitarian usage, medium (yet textured, and very stout, with heavy branches only vigorous) growth rate, and urban tolerance. slightly arching with age, and old leggy trunks being supplemented with rapidly-growing basal suckers FEATURES with age Form -large, semi-evergreen, broad-leaved ornamental USAGE shrub or foliage shrub Function -maturing at about 12' tall x 12' wide, -formal or informal hedge, border, entranceway, although sometimes larger spacious foundation, utilitarian, or deciduous screen -upright columnar growth habit in shrub, being the boldest-textured Viburnum youth, becoming more rounded and Texture spreading with age -bold texture when in foliage, semi-evergreen, or -medium to rapid growth rate nearly deciduous Culture -thick density in foliage but average density -full sun to partial shade otherwise -adaptable to poor soils, compacted soils, soils of Assets various pH, dry soils, drought, pollution, and heat -outstanding summer foliage (leathery, dense, and -propagated by rooted stem cuttings dark green) -Honeysuckle Family, with no serious pest or disease -striking bold texture (best displayed when in problems, except for occasional cosmetic leaf spot summer foliage) -commonly available in B&B form -urban tolerant, with vigorous growth Foliage -semi-showy green-white flowers in spring -dark green above while much paler Liabilities white-green beneath, being semi- -semi-evergreen foliage is tattered, wind burned, and evergreen, leathery, thick, and unattractive throughout much of the winter having a rough texture with sunken -easily gets out-of-bounds due to its vigorous growth veins above, with prominently large legginess with age, in part hidden by the basal veins beneath that have a reticulate suckers branching pattern -inflorescences may sporadically open in summer or -leaves are opposite, narrowly ovate to oblong, early autumn (some consider this an asset) lightly serrated or entire, with an acute apex and Habitat cuneate to cordate base above a thick petiole, about -Zones 4 to 8 3-4 times as long as they are wide, and often in a -parents of this hybrid are Wayfaringtree Viburnum tattered and ragged semi-evergreen state by early (Viburnum lantana, native to Eurasia) and winter Leatherleaf Viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum, -autumn color is dark green and slowly absiscing, native to China) with the foliage remnants becoming wind burned and a very unnattractive brown-green during the winter SELECTIONS Flowers Alternates -green-cream, creamy-white, or cream-brown (due to -bold-textured shrubs noted for their dense and damage by late frosts) flat-topped inflorescences relatively large foliage (Hydrangea quercifolia, occur up to 4" in diameter, in late Apr. and early Viburnum lantana, etc.) May, being present for about 2 weeks but not showy -utilitarian shrubs that are deciduous (Rhamnus in spite of their large size frangula 'Columnaris', Viburnum lantana, etc.) or -floral buds are set by mid-summer (as are most evergreen (Juniperus chinensis 'Spearmint', Taxus x shrubs) and may sporadically open in late summer media 'Hicksii', Thuja occidentalis 'Nigra', etc.) and early autumn Cultivars - Variants - Related species Fruits -V. x rhytidophylloides 'Alleghany' (sometimes -at first green, then transitioning to red, red-orange, spelled 'Allegheny') - Alleghany Viburnum - more or red-yellow by mid-summer, then maturing to black compact and upright-rounded in mature form, in late Aug. and early Sept. resistant to leaf spot, very attractive-foliaged, heavier -often sparse or non-existent fruiting, and slightly more cold hardy; the standard Twigs cultivar of choice -emerging green-white, stout, and strongly scurfy- -Viburnum rhytidophyllum - Leatherleaf Viburnum pubescent, but changing to a noticeable orange- - similar to its progeny except that its broadleaf brown by winter foliage is evergreen, with leaf undersides and young -winter buds are large; floral buds are prominent stems having a rich, dense, orange tomentosity that is terminal knobs, while vegetative buds are naked and very striking; also of bold texture, but only cold much elongated, with terminal vegetative buds much hardy to zone 6 (or marginally hardy in a wind- larger than the lateral buds protected site in zone 5)