Ah....those leaves!!!!

[Kristl Walek]

My area of eastern Canada is notorious for its spectacular fall colours of the Maples---this is still to come.

However, I wanted to share with you the visual feast in the woods today while collecting seed of the little known native Viburnum lantanoides (alnifolium)---the AlderLeaf Viburnum---or Hobblebush.

The beautiful large (up to 30cm across) opposite heart-shaped leaves have sunken veins and seem oddly out of place on the slender stems, making them very pronounced. And the vivid (and early) color transformation is astounding. I never cease being astounded at what I see in a large population.

The first is the green base colour.
It makes my heart stop!

Kristl

[Kristl Walek]

Sigh, it appears that my first set of pictures did not upload.
Sorry. Will try again. Did not entirely understand the KB limit per post---perhaps this is my problem?

Kristl

[Kristl Walek]

More...

[Kristl Walek]

Last Two...

[Carlo]

Damn! Why don't I know this plant...

Really nice Kristl...I'll have to track this down!

[Lesley Cox]

What an incredible display Kristl, especially all on a single species. Like Carlo, somehow, I MUST have..!

[Kristl Walek]

Carlo....You haven't been reading my catalogue....it's been listed for years. I had at least 20 more pictures of leaf variation---imagine trying to choose ONE to post on my web site??

And Lesley, it's virtually unknown in the trade---a great misfortune---

This last picture is of my "mother lode" site (for the seed of this species) where the pictures I posted were also taken. We seed folks always untimately try to find *that* spot where we may wild collect without seriously impacting a population. This "Hobblebush" spot is kilometers long and deep into the woods. Before I found it (13 years searching), I spent hours driving from one area to another, as it is rather uncommon here. It would take days to collect the seed.

In the wild it thrives in consistently moist (not wet) conditions, and a good rich soil, slightly on the acid side.

Kristl

[mark smyth]

how tall is the plant?

[Kristl Walek]

Mark...about 3-4m...and it has pretty white to pink flowers, followed by open clusters of berries; red turning bluish-black at maturity.

Kristl

[Brian Ellis]

Kristl that is superb, such variations of colour and pattern.    Definitely on the wants list!

[Afloden]

Hello,

 My two cents..

 This plant is finicky in cultivation just like its Asian counterpart V. furcatum. They struggle in areas where night temperatures do not cool down significantly (hated Kansas and died over 3 years). Not to say I have not tried and will not keep trying, maybe one day a seedling will show some heat tolerance. Here in eastern Tennessee they are restricted to elevations above 2000 feet, mostly higher at 4000+, in acidic moist woodlands under Tsuga, Abies, and Betula sp.. I will agree that the color on this is amazing. Another with outstanding color is V. acerifolium that turns strange pinks and purples that look as if they would glow at night. Will send pictures when they begin to turn.

 Aaron Floden
 Knoxville, TN

[Kristl Walek]

Hi Aaron,
It *is* somewhat challening in cultivation---although my experience has been that the established seedlings are doing fine (any larger rooted pieces I have tried, did not, either suckers, or cuttings). It really is a good candidate for seed propagation---as it seems to be able to acclimatize well from infancy.

Summers are not as hot and humid here as in Tennessee---our summers are stifling, with very high humidity and no significant "cooling down" at night--even semps melt here in summer... I do know they thrive in "cool, rich, moist woodlands" here. I do not think it requires much acidity (in mixed situations in this area), more alkaline (60%), than acid (40%).

And yes, Viburnum acerifolium (which I am collecting next week) would be my second candidate for under-utilized native Viburnums....let's both post our pictures- it will be interesting to see what different colours might result in Ontario and Tennessee!!!

Kristl

[Anthony Darby]

Sounds like Scotland would suit it just fine? The only colour pattern I don't see is tartan, so there's a challenge.

[ranunculus]

Hi Kristl,
Beautiful 'must have' plants.
Thanks for showing them to us.
Kind regards,
Cliff

[Paul T]

Kristl,

Your pic of the mother lode site.... is that a carpet of seedlings?  I had thought that it must be a small species until you said that it was 3-4m.  What sort of shape to it?  With those leaves it is DEFINITELY something worth growing, that is for sure.  Beautiful combinations of leaf colours.  One of my favourites in the autumn leaves is one of the Witch Hazels called 'Ruby Glow'.  It produces these wonderful leaves with yellow, orange, bronze, red and assorted shades in between all in the same leaf, starting at yellow in the middle and slowly shading darker the further out towards the edge.  There is something about the particular combination it has that is just "right".  I particularly like the different veinings etc in your Viburnum pics, which is what really caught my eye on the first look through.  Great pics.  Thanks!