# Leatherleaf Viburnum (*viburnum rhytidophyllum*)

The Leatherleaf Viburnum has large, leathery leaves that feel nice to touch! It produces beautiful white flowers in spring that attract butterflies and bees.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** It thrives in wooded areas and along streams in North America.
- **Also known as:** Viburnum rhytidophyllum

![Leatherleaf Viburnum](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Viburnum_rhytidophyllum.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Jean-Jacques MILAN, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viburnum_rhytidophyllum.jpg)

## Appearance

The Leatherleaf Viburnum has distinctive dark green, deeply wrinkled leaves with fuzzy undersides, giving them a leathery texture. It produces clusters of creamy-white flowers in spring, followed by bright red berries that mature to glossy black.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Dipsacales
- **Family:** Viburnaceae
- **Genus:** Viburnum

## Interesting facts

- Even in winter, its tough leaves surprisingly stay green and vibrant.
- Its scientific name means "wrinkled leaf," exactly like its look!
- Some parts of its leaves feel like soft velvet, not tough leather!
- The berries start bright red, then amazingly change to glossy black!

## Special abilities

- **Winter Warrior:** Leatherleaf Viburnum has tough, leathery leaves that stay green through winter, helping it photosynthesize longer and survive cold.
- **Fuzzy Shield:** Its leaves have a thick, woolly underside which helps protect the plant from water loss and extreme temperatures.
- **Berry Transformer:** Leatherleaf Viburnum's berries cleverly change from red to black, signaling to different bird species when they are ripe for eating and dispersal.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 200-400 cm
- **Spread:** 200-400 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Drinks nectar from its creamy white flowers.
- **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Feeds on its ripe black berries.
- **Eaten by:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — Enjoys the plant's nutrient-rich fruit.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [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.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Leatherleaf Viburnum?

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 Leatherleaf Viburnum?

200-400 cm

### How wide does Leatherleaf Viburnum spread?

200-400 cm

### How big are the flowers on Leatherleaf Viburnum?

0.5-1 cm

### When does Leatherleaf Viburnum bloom?

Late spring

### Is Leatherleaf Viburnum edible?

No

### Is Leatherleaf Viburnum toxic?

Mild

### What is Leatherleaf Viburnum's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Gathland State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gathland-state-park) — Maryland, US · State Park

## 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*)

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Source: [Leatherleaf Viburnum: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leatherleaf-viburnum)