Viburnum dilatatum f. heterophyllum ("Hen'yogamazumi")

Japanese name: ヘンヨウガマズミ
Scientific name: Viburnum dilatatum f. heterophyllum

[Overview]
A deciduous shrub 2–5 m tall, growing in bright woods and woodland edges in hills and mountains.
The whole plant is covered with many hairs.
Young branches are densely hairy.
The leaves are simple and opposite, and those on branches that bear no flowers are oblong.
Both surfaces of the leaves are hairy; there are 6–9 pairs of lateral veins that run almost straight, and the margin has irregular serrations.
On the underside of the leaf there are fine glandular dots, as well as 1–3 pairs of conspicuous glandular dots near the margin in the lower part.
The leaf stalk is long at 1–3 cm, and there are no stipules.
Flat corymbs 5–12 cm across are produced at the branch tips, and there is a pair of leaves at the base of the inflorescence.
The flowers are white, 5–8 mm across, and have a distinctive smell.
The corolla is 5-lobed, and the 5 stamens project far out.
The fruit is 6–8 mm long and ripens red; it is sweet and sour, and wild birds love to eat it.

[Uses]
The wood is said to be flexible yet tough and hard to break, and it seems to be used for tool handles.
The fruit is made into fruit liqueur.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
For seed, collect ripe fruit, wash the pulp off thoroughly, and then sow.
It grows well regardless of soil type as long as the site is sunny to partially shaded, well drained, and rich in humus.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long spell of sunny weather and the soil becomes severely dry.
Apply fertilizer in winter, and also, after flowering, apply a slow-release chemical fertilizer with equal amounts of the 3 components as a thank-you fertilizer.
Do not prune and enjoy the natural shape of the tree; if you want to keep it compact, cut just above a bud as soon as possible after flowering.
Powdery mildew and scale insects occur easily when ventilation is poor, so care is needed.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)