Arrowwood Viburnum   Viburnum dentatum

Other common names for this plant are Southern Arrowwood and Roughish Arrowwood.   As you can see from the next photo from my garden the Arrowwood Viburnum has straight branches or shafts that begin close to the ground.   The Cherokee would use these shafts to make arrows, hence its name.

This native plant can be found along the rocky banks of the Coosa River near Rome, Georgia and in eastern Alabama.   It likes to be close to water and can do well in full sun to moderate shade.   It will tolerate clay soil and is also can tolerate being planted close to Black Walnut trees.  It is in the Honeysuckle family and bears black fruit that birds love.   When it blooms in May to June time frame, it produces some delicate white flowers that anyone would want in their garden.   If you need to prune, remember to do so after flowering because the flower buds form in summer for the following year.   It spreads by colonizing which means the rhizomes or roots sprout from the root crown.

This plant is on the endangered plant list and is one you can treasure in your garden.   I love to watch the birds who are attracted to the berry or drupes in the fall and the butterflies who are attracted to the flowers in late spring.    It is a graceful plant with it long arching branches.