Viburnum lenatgo (Nannyberry)

A confirmed salt-tolerant generalist adaptable to nearly any soil condition, nannyberry carries genuine ecological weight as a documented larval host for the Pink Prominent, Hummingbird Clearwing, and Green Marvel moths - making it a top wildlife plant for nesting birds drawn to its dense, moderate-growing form.

Species Overview

Viburnum lentago, or nannyberry, is a large, suckering deciduous shrub or small tree native to the northeastern and midwestern United States, typically growing 15 to 20 feet tall. Flat-topped clusters of creamy-white flowers bloom in late spring, followed by edible, sweet, blue-black berries with bright red stalks that persist attractively into winter.

Application

• Salt-tolerant roadside and urban landscape plantings
• Larval host habitat for the Pink Prominent, Hummingbird Clearwing, and Green Marvel moths
• Bird nesting habitat - dense form favored by songbirds
• Naturalized hedgerow, screen, and stream-bank plantings

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Moist, rich loam to clay-loam soils preferred; tolerates drier sites
• Growth Rate: Moderate - 1-2 ft. per year
• Plant Type: Shrub
• Mature Height: 15-25 ft.
• Fall Color: Yellow, Orange, Red
• Bloom Color / Period: White; May
• Wetland Indicator Status: NI (No Indicator) - see flags
• Native Range: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (full list)
• Hydrology: Mesic-Moist
• Root Depth: Moderate (12-24 in.)
• Salinity Tolerance: Low
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate
• Deer Resistance: Some (Rutgers rates the genus "seldom severely damaged")
• Flood Tolerance: Moderate - A moist woodland and streamside shrub-tree tolerant of periodically wet soil.
• Shade Tolerance: Intermediate
• Growth Habit: Upright, Multi-stemmed
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-8
• Pollinator Value: Larval host, supports bees, supports butterflies, supports moths

Planting Guidance

• Salt tolerant, making it a good fit for roadside plantings. Can be trained as a single-stem small tree, though removing suckers is labor-intensive and reduces the plant's vigor - allowing a few suckers to remain lets it naturally form a hedge, which is well suited to rewilding projects.