‘Plum Pudding’ and ‘Raisinette’: Two New Native Viburnum Cultivars

Viburnum (Viburnum L.) is a popular and useful genus of primarily landscape shrubs. Most have some combination of showy flowers, flower fragrance, attractive fruit, and colorful fall foliage (Dirr 2007). Beyond their obvious multiseason ornamental appeal, viburnums also support wildlife, are of easy culture in the garden, and can be propagated and produced readily by nursery growers. Some of the most popular viburnum species are of Asian origin, including Viburnum ×burkwoodii, Viburnum carlesii, and Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum (Dirr 2009; Pooler 2010). However, demand for native landscape shrubs continues to increase in the United States (Nursery Management 2025), and this includes requests for the North American viburnum species Viburnum dentatum L. (arrowwood viburnum) and Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides (L.) Torr. & A. Gray (witherod viburnum). Quite a few cultivars of V. dentatum have been introduced, with Dirr (2009) listing 25 cultivars. The number of cultivars for V. nudum var. cassinoides is considerably smaller, with none being offered consistently or widely for sale. More attention and popularity have been seen for cultivars of V. nudum var. nudum, with the cultivar Winterthur perhaps having the greatest market share. Viburnum dentatum has a reputation for being a durable, easily cultivated utility shrub in landscapes and is often underappreciated for its rather showy flower display, blue–black fruit that attract wildlife, and fall foliage color that can be exceptional with proper genotype selection. The V. dentatum species complex is widespread in the eastern United States, from Maine to Florida and westward to Iowa and east Texas (US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2018). Those familiar with V. nudum var. cassinoides admire it for its creamy white flowers, multicolor fruit, orange–red fall foliage, and adaptability to many landscape situations. Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides occurs naturally in New England, the upper Midwest, and down the spine of the Appalachian Mountains (Virginia Tech Dendrology 2025). Viburnum dentatum ‘Plum Pudding’ was selected for its dependable production of burgundy-red fall foliage under a range of growing conditions and for having a dense, full habit plus copious flowering. Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides ‘Raisinette’ is a profuse bloomer with a compact habit and crimson fall foliage to go with the species’ usual multicolor fruit. Both new viburnum cultivars are easy to grow and widely adapted to many landscape situations.