Possumhaw Viburnum nudum is a shrub or small (10’ – 12’ X 10’) tree widespread in the western, northern, and Florida parishes of Louisiana growing in savannas, low wet woods, bogs, pocosins, bays, and swamp forests. Its white flower clusters appear May – July, followed by late Summer-Fall fruits that progress through colors of pale yellow, pink, and finally, a waxy blue-black at maturity. It thrives in wet, mucky soil and produces more flowers and fruits when grown in full sun.
Possumhaw is valuable for wildlife as a pollinator plant for butterflies, native bees, and other insects; its seeds are eaten by a variety of birds and small mammals. It makes a fine specimen tree in the landscape or it can be massed to form a bird thicket.