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West Virginia Trees

Chapter 131: BLACK HAW
By A. B. Brooks
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Nature/Gardening/Animals

About This Book

A practical field guide to the native and introduced trees of West Virginia, providing keys based mainly on leaves and fruits, concise family and species descriptions, and detailed line drawings for about 101 native species. It organizes trees by botanical families, gives brief flower notes, a glossary of terms, and suggestions for identifying specimens; occasional introduced species and shrubs are noted. The bulletin emphasizes simplicity for non-specialists, offers measurements and habit descriptions for each species, and includes administrative prefatory material. Its aim is to aid lay readers and students in tree identification and to encourage local interest in forestry.

BLACK HAW

Viburnum prunifolium, L.

Form.—A small tree or shrub reaching a height of 20-30 feet in favorable locations.

Leaves.—Opposite, simple, oval, obtuse or slightly pointed, 1-3 inches long, finely and sharply serrate, glabrous.

Flowers.—May; perfect; small, white, borne in large terminal cymes.

Fruit.—Dark blue, fleshy, sweet, persistent drupes with large flat stones; borne on reddish stalks in few-fruited clusters.

Bark.—Roughened by plate-like scales, reddish-brown.

Wood.—Similar to that of Sweet Viburnum.

Range.—Connecticut and Michigan south to Georgia and Arkansas.

Distribution in West Virginia.—Common locally throughout the State.

Habitat.—Prefers dry, rocky hillsides and low ridges, growing in thickets along fences.

Notes.—As a wood-producer this tree has no value. The bark of its roots has a medicinal value and it deserves to be planted extensively for ornamental purposes.