CAPRIFOLIACEAE

Sheepberry. Nannyberry

Viburnum lentago L.

HABIT.—A low tree or shrub 15-25 feet high, with a short trunk 6-10 inches in diameter; numerous tortuous branches form a wide, compact, rounded crown.

LEAVES.—Opposite, simple, 2-4 inches long, one-half as broad; ovate to suborbicular; finely and sharply serrate; thick and firm; lustrous, bright green above, pale and marked with tiny black dots beneath; petioles broad, grooved, more or less winged, about 1 inch long.

FLOWERS.—May-June, after the leaves; perfect; small; cream-white, borne in stout-branched, scurfy, flat, terminal cymes 3-5 inches across; calyx tubular, 5-toothed; corolla 5-lobed, cream color or white, 1/4 inch across; stamens 5, with yellow anthers; ovary 1-celled, with short, thick, green style and broad stigma.

FRUIT.—September; a fleshy drupe, 1/2 inch long, ovoid, flattened, blue-black, borne in few-fruited, red-stemmed clusters; stone oval, flat, rough; flesh sweet, edible.

WINTER-BUDS.—Leaf-buds narrow, acute, red, scurfy-pubescent, 1/2 inch long; flower-buds swollen at the base, with spire-like apex, grayish with scurfy pubescence, 3/4 inch long.

BARK.—Twigs at first light green, rusty-pubescent, becoming dark red-brown; red-brown on old trunks and broken into small, thick plates.

WOOD.—Heavy, hard, close-grained, ill-smelling, dark orange-brown, with thin, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Frequent throughout the state.

HABITAT.—Prefers rich, moist soil along the borders of forests; roadsides; river-banks.

NOTES.—Too small for street use. Propagated from seed or by cuttings.