Viburnum lantana

The Viburnum lantana, commonly known as Wayfaring tree or Wayfaring bush, is a widespread shrub found in country hedges and woodland edges. Extremely resistant, hardy and modest, it is nonetheless charming: its young shoots are woolly, its spring flowering is generous, fragrant and honey-producing, its red fruits turning black are a delight for birds, and its foliage ignites in autumn before falling. The Wayfaring tree deserves to be planted in a garden wildlife garden. Install it in a country hedge with ornamental apple trees, lilacs or mock oranges, for example. 

Native to central and southern Europe, western Asia and North Africa, the Viburnum lantana is known by different names depending on the region: wayfaring tree, wayfaring bush or even wayfaring wood. It is a shrub of light woodlands and thickets, often growing on calcareous soil at altitudes below 1600 m (5249 ft). It belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family, just like honeysuckle.

The wayfaring tree is a bushy shrub with a  height of 3m (10ft) and an average width of 2 to 3m (6 to 10ft), depending on the growing conditions. Its habit is both upright, spreading, compact and rounded. The abundant flowering, which takes place from April to June, occurs at the end of one-year-old branches. The round and flattened clusters, measuring 4 to 10cm (1.5 to 3.9in) in diameter, are composed of white flowers that have prominent yellow stamens. This fragrant flowering is followed by a unique fruiting, which can be enjoyed from September to December. The fruits are spherical, measuring 8mm (.3in) in diameter, and change colour from pink to red, then black when ripe. They attract birds, which will brighten up the shortest and gloomiest days of the year. The deciduous foliage is greyish green when it buds and then becomes darker, making it stand out from the flowers. The large, drooping, thick and rough leaves are ovate and finely toothed, with the lower surface covered in down. Each leaf measures up to 10cm (4in) long and 6cm (2.4in) wide. The splendin autumn colours, vary from year to year and are likely dependent on climatic conditions and soil type. The young, woolly-looking branches are flexible and covered in small star-shaped hairs, which eventually turn grey.

Hardy well below -15°C (5°F), the Viburnum lantana can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions. It is used in informal hedges, flowerbeds or groves. Plant it in a high-traffic area to fully enjoy its fragrance (near a path, at the corner of the house or near the garden entrance, for example). This undemanding shrub allows for the creation of an authentic country ambiance alongside other native plants such as medlar, European spindle, hazel, blackthorn, as well as some other similar plants: viper's bugloss, teasels, thistles, mulleins, meadow sage or woodland sage...