Tree · Caprifoliaceae

Blackhaw

Viburnum prunifolium

Blackhaw is recorded as native to 27 states and territories in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in 863 counties of those states by USDA PLANTS.

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

Key facts · USDA PLANTS

Blackhaw at a glance

Native in: 863 counties, across 27 states and territories
Estimated cold hardiness: Zone 4a PLANTS minimum temperature −33°F
Mature height: 16 ft PLANTS mature height
Light and water: Tolerates shade Medium water use

Estimated cold hardiness: zone 4a. PLANTS gives a minimum temperature of −33°F; zone 4a winters bottom out at −30°F, the coldest half-zone that stays within that limit.

Counties where it is native

The 15 counties with the most ZIP codes among the 863 where it is listed.

Native counties by state

Alabama 5 counties
Arkansas 28 counties
Connecticut statewide record
Delaware 2 counties
District of Columbia 1 county
Georgia 22 counties
Illinois 84 counties
Indiana 73 counties
Iowa 1 county
Kansas 13 counties
Kentucky 106 counties
Louisiana 17 counties
Michigan 7 counties
Mississippi 8 counties
Missouri 100 counties
New Jersey 17 counties
New York 15 counties
North Carolina 53 counties
Ohio 69 counties
Oklahoma 3 counties
Pennsylvania 45 counties
South Carolina 18 counties
Tennessee 37 counties
Texas 1 county
Virginia 98 counties
West Virginia 35 counties
Wisconsin 5 counties

Growing traits

Values from the PLANTS characteristics record. “Not recorded” means PLANTS has no value; nothing here is estimated except the zone.

Growth

Growth habit: Shrub, Tree
Duration: Perennial
Mature height: 16 ft
Growth rate: Slow
Growth form: Multiple Stem
Shape: Erect
Lifespan: Long
Active growth period: Spring and Summer

Light and water

Shade tolerance: Tolerant (tolerates shade)
Moisture use: Medium water use
Drought tolerance: Medium
Tolerance of waterlogged soil: None
Precipitation range: 35 to 50 in per year

Soil

Soil textures: Medium and fine
pH range: 4.8 to 7.5
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: High
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Minimum root depth: 18 in

Climate

Minimum temperature: −33°F
Estimated cold hardiness: Zone 4a and warmer
Minimum frost-free days: 110
Fire tolerance: Low

Flowers, leaves and fruit

Flower color: White
Showy flowers: Yes
Bloom period: Spring
Foliage color: Green
Showy in fall: Yes
Keeps leaves: No
Fruit color: Black

Other

Toxicity: None
Nitrogen fixation: None
Nursery availability: Routinely Available
Family: Caprifoliaceae
PLANTS symbol: VIPR

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Scope: Viburnum prunifolium (PLANTS symbol VIPR).
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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