Photographed by Jess Cole.
Arrowhead Viburnum
Possessing the most precious, delicate white, hydrangea-like blooms that bear lush blue fruit for wildlife, this large shrub is found in moist woodlands, yet can tolerate so many different types of soil conditions, making it an excellent choice for any landscape. It grows great in full sun to partial shade, and is excellent as a specimen or en masse, along a fenceline or within a hedgerow, and it holds on to its deep and complex fall color long into a Louisiana winter. Its common namesake comes from how straight its branches are; historically, Native peoples used them to make arrows. This viburnum hosts the spring azure butterfly and is an absolute wildlife party starter and bird magnet. I have been blessed, as of late, to enjoy her in vast stands throughout the Bogue Chitto River watershed, blanketing the wet forest floor. The leaves are some of the last to cling to the deciduous species, warm hues fluttering in the wind under stands of majestic moss-softened tupelo, offering a precious winter delicacy.
