Leaf
Krzysztof Golik, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wayfaring tree
Viburnum lantana L.
Also known as: Wayfarer
Family: Adoxaceae
2 to 4 m tall
Hedges and woodland edges on calcareous soil
Flowering: May
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The berries turn from red to black as they ripen, giving characteristic two-coloured clusters. Guelder rose has 3-lobed leaves, like a maple leaf, very different from the ovate, simply toothed and crinkled leaves of wayfaring tree.
🍃 Leaves
Opposite, ovate, crinkled, downy beneath
🌸 Flowers
Flat white corymbs
🍎 Fruits
Berries turning from red to black, often both colours together on the same cluster
🪵 Bark
Grey, downy twigs
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, North Africa, western Asia; common in calcareous hedges throughout France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
White nectar-bearing corymbs of flowers, heavily visited by bees and hoverflies in spring.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted in country hedges, appreciated for its fruits changing colour (red then black) in autumn.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Fruits slightly toxic if ingested, causing digestive upset in large quantities.
⚠️ Look-alike species
Wayfaring tree
Viburnum lantana
Guelder rose
Viburnum opulus
Guelder rose has 3-lobed leaves, like a maple leaf, very different from the ovate, simply toothed and crinkled leaves of wayfaring tree.
🌿 Other Adoxaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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