Rusty Blackhaw

Viburnum rufidulum

Found in dry forests and woodlands; moderately dry forests; forests and woodlands; glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone; glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock; floodplain and bottomland forests; streams, rivers and their banks. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

Keystone

Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height: 10–20 feet
Spread: 10–20 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 15 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

Viburnum rufidulum — foliage photograph — Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society / James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service · CC BY 3.0 us · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: Spring
Fruiting season: September to October

Recorded in 27 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 7

Named place / source context. Shown: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia, a neighboring state.Trail on Little Kennesaw Mountain., Unidentified in HFC record, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Limestone cedar glade. Shown: Cedar Glade Number 5, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Catoosa County, Georgia, a neighboring state.Cedar Glade Number 5, Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP, Catoosa County, Alan M. Cressler / U.S. Geological Survey, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

Moderately dry forests

Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.

Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock

Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 91 animals.

Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Goldfinch
Carduelis tristis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Woodcock
Scolopax minor
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Barred Owl
Strix varia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-and-White Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brown Creeper
Certhia americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Florida

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

81CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Viburnum

Celastrina ladonSpring Azure
Hemaris thysbeHummingbird Clearwing
Acasis viridataOlive-and-Black Carpet
Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
Acronicta fallaxThe Green Marvel
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra

Show all 81

Anagrapha falciferaCelery Looper Moth
Anania tertialisCrowned Anania, Crowned Phlyctaenia
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia amatanaPondapple Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia juglandanaHickory Leafroller
Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Calledapteryx dryopterataBrown Scoopwing
Callophrys henriciHenry's Elfin
Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Celastrina neglectaSummer Azure
Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
Choristoneura parallelaParallel-Banded Leafroller, Spotted Fireworm Moth
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Darapsa choerilusAzalea Sphinx
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
Euphydryas phaetonThe Baltimore, The Black Checker
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Glyptocera consobrinellaViburnum Glyptocera, Glyptocera Moth
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
Hemaris diffinisSnowberry Clearwing
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
Lytrosis unitariaCommon Lytrosis
Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Metaxaglaea semitariaFootpath Sallow
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
Oreta roseaRose Hooktip
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
Schizura badiaChestnut Schizura
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
Synanthedon fatiferaLesser Viburnum Clearwing
Synchlora frondariaSouthern Emerald
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
Zale horridaHorrid Zale, Sacled Zale
Acleris placidana

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

17BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Viburnum

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

18BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Viburnum

Bombycilla cedrorumCedar Waxwing
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Acanthis flammeaCommon Redpoll
Aix sponsaWood Duck
Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
Lagopus lagopusWillow Ptarmigan

Show all 18

Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Mimus polyglottosNorthern Mockingbird
Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling
Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Vireo solitariusBlue-headed Vireo

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Viburnaceae
Hardiness: Zones 5a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Cream or white
Fruit begins: September
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Spring” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team) differs)
Flower color · “Cream or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Fruit begins · “September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 5a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
Height · “10–20 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
primary_flower_color · “white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Good drainage; Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “10–20 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Rusty Black Haw

Conservation status

Florida rank	S4?
Global rank	G5
FL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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Rusty Blackhaw

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Viburnum