Restoring The Landscape With Native Plants: That's Invasive? Wayfaring Tree ~ Viburnum lantana

Native to: Eurasia

Best Method of Removal: Cut all stems to ground and treat with Glyphosate herbicide or girdle all stems and cut back stems

Interim Measures: Cut off flowers before they set seed. Cut down and treat as above later.

Native Alternatives: Downy Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum rafinesquianum), Nannyberry Viburnum (Viburnum lentago)

I discovered this invasive shrub in a Carver County Park this fall growing at the edge of a treed area under red pines.

I am very familiar with this Viburnum species after living in the Mid Atlantic region where it is widely planted and also invading natural areas.

The leaves are serrated, oval shaped with hairs and arranged opposite on the stems. The new buds are long, gray and hairy. The flowers are a flat topped and white like many other Viburnums and open in late May. (US Forest Service Fact Sheet)

Photo: Elizabeth J. Czarapata

This Viburnum has a heavy fruit set and the seeds are then distributed by birds. The berries turn from bright red to a dark blue when mature.

This shrub is still widely sold at nurseries. In Minnesota it is sold at Gertens & Bachmans as well as smaller nurseries. Please inform your local nursery of its invasive tendencies and request that they no longer sell it.

Common cultivars: "Mohican", "Emerald Triumph"
Also a variegated version "Variegata"

It is recorded as being invasive throughout most of Northeastern North Amercia and Mid Atlantic. See USDA Distribution map. So far, Carver County and some Iron Range Counties have recorded naturalized populations.

More info: Invasive.org
Invasive Plant Atlas
WI DNR
US Forest Service Fact Sheet