# @ahs_gardening on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcv5eVHG2CL
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/69994513-ahs-gardening-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/c298541222.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-01T14:40:20.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** American Horticultural Society | American Gardener Magazine (@ahs_gardening) — https://gondola.cc/ahs_gardening

## Caption

*NATIVE PLANT OF THE WEEK*⁠
Possumhaw or Smooth Witherod⁠
Viburnum nudum | Zones 5–9⁠
⁠
Pink berries ripening to deep blue, glossy foliage that turns red, burgundy and purple, spring flowers for pollinators - Viburnum nudum earns its place in the garden across several seasons.⁠
⁠
Native from Maine to Florida, this deciduous shrub grows naturally in open woodlands and wet bottomlands.⁠
⁠
At a glance⁠
• 5–12 feet tall⁠
• Sun to part sun⁠
• White flowers in mid-spring⁠
• Pink-to-blue fruit in late summer and fall⁠
• Prefers moist, acidic soil but adapts to other conditions⁠
⁠
Why grow it⁠
• Flowers support native pollinators⁠
• Hosts azure butterfly and hummingbird clearwing moth caterpillars⁠
• Fruit feeds birds and other wildlife⁠
• Works well in rain gardens, wildlife gardens and hedges⁠
• A native alternative to invasive burning bush, Euonymus alatus⁠
⁠
One important planting note⁠
Possumhaw generally needs a genetically different V. nudum nearby for good fruit set. To avoid accidentally planting two clones, pair the straight species with a cultivar such as ‘Winterthur’ or ‘Brandywine,’ or plant two different cultivars. ‘Brandywine’ can often fruit on its own, making it a good choice for smaller gardens.⁠
⁠
Want to learn more about viburnums? Read “Falling for Native Viburnums” by Jessie Keith in the September/October 2021 issue of The American Gardener, available in the magazine archive at ahsgardening.org.⁠
Photos:⁠
Shrub at U.S. Botanic Garden (wikimedia)⁠
Fall foliage (Michael E. Ecker, Dawes Arboretum)⁠
Flowers (Christa F. Hayes, iNaturalist)⁠
Ripe fruits(Jorge Bogantes Montero, iNaturalist)⁠
Multi-colored fruits (Ron Wertz, iNaturalist)⁠
⁠
#nativeplants⁠
#pollinatorplants⁠
#raingardens⁠
#wildlifegardens⁠
⁠

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## Tags

raingardens, wildlifegardens, pollinatorplants, nativeplants

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