# Blackhaw (*Viburnum prunifolium*) The Blackhaw is a lovely shrub that grows tall and has beautiful white flowers in spring. It produces dark berries that birds love to eat, making it a great plant for wildlife. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Blackhaw](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Viburnum_prunifolium_USDA1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA SCS, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viburnum_prunifolium_USDA1.jpg) ## Appearance The Blackhaw is a sturdy shrub or small tree with glossy dark green leaves that transform into stunning purples and reds in autumn. Its branches burst with flat-topped clusters of creamy white flowers in spring, followed by dark blue, oval-shaped berries. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Dipsacales - **Family:** Viburnaceae - **Genus:** Viburnum ## Interesting facts - Its incredibly hard wood was once prized for making tool handles! - Its tiny flowers join forces, creating a broad, showy white 'plate'! - Some Blackhaw plants can live for more than 50 years! - The berries have a surprisingly sweet, prune-like flavor! ## Special abilities - **Cramp Soother:** Blackhaw has special bark compounds that were traditionally used to ease muscle cramps naturally. - **Feathered Friend Feeder:** Blackhaw grows nutritious, dark berries that attract birds, helping spread its seeds far and wide. - **Autumn Artist:** Its leaves perform a vibrant fall show, shifting from green to deep reds and purples before winter arrives. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-450 cm - **Spread:** 180-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.6 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Consumes its dark, sweet berries - **Pollinates:** European Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits its white spring flowers - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on its leaves and twigs - **Eats:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — Enjoys its mature fruit ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay on paths when exploring nature and don't eat any berries without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Blackhaw? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Blackhaw? 300-450 cm ### How wide does Blackhaw spread? 180-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on Blackhaw? 0.3-0.6 cm ### When does Blackhaw bloom? Spring ### Is Blackhaw edible? Yes ### Is Blackhaw toxic? None ### What is Blackhaw's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Historic Moravian Bethlehem Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/historic-moravian-bethlehem-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District - [South Mountain Reservation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-mountain-reservation) — New Jersey, US · Nature Reserve - [Arrowhead Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arrowhead-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/daniel-stowe-botanical-garden) — North Carolina, US · Botanical Garden - [Greene–Sullivan State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greene-sullivan-state-forest) — Indiana, US · Forest [View all places to see Blackhaw](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/blackhaw) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Blackhaw: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blackhaw)