How do you recognise David's viburnum (Viburnum davidii)?

Leaf

Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

David's viburnum

Viburnum davidii Franch.

Family: Adoxaceae

0.6 to 1 m tall, low spreading habit

Low borders and under cover, cool free-draining soil; planted in groups to ensure fruiting

Flowering: May – June

Part shade

Shade

Hardy to about -15°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Several plants must be planted together to obtain its metallic blue berries, as cross-pollination between individuals is needed for good fruiting. Laurustinus grows as a taller, upright shrub, with pinkish-white flowers in large flat clusters from winter, whereas David's viburnum stays low as a ground cover, with leaves showing 3 clearly marked parallel veins and metallic blue fruits.

🍃 Leaves

Evergreen, broad, elliptic, strongly veined (three clearly marked main veins), matt dark green

🌸 Flowers

Small, white, in flat corymbs

🍎 Fruits

Oval metallic blue berries, requiring several plants for good fruiting

🪵 Bark

Slender branches, brown-green

🗺️ Distribution

Native to China (Sichuan)

🐝 Value for pollinators

Nectar-bearing flowers visited by bees and hoverflies

✂️ Horticultural uses

Low shrubby ground cover for shaded borders, planted in groups

⚠️ Possible toxicity

Not documented as significantly toxic

⚠️ Look-alike species

David's viburnum

Viburnum davidii

Laurustinus

Viburnum tinus

Laurustinus grows as a taller, upright shrub, with pinkish-white flowers in large flat clusters from winter, whereas David's viburnum stays low as a ground cover, with leaves showing 3 clearly marked parallel veins and metallic blue fruits.

🌿 Other Adoxaceae to discover

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.