Viburnum lantana Mohican

Viburnum lantana 'Mohican' is simply a compact form of our native Viburnum lantana, therefore better suited to small spaces. This variety possesses all the beautiful qualities of its larger sister, appreciated in rural settings. Recognizable by its woolly young shoots, this Viburnum is a medium-sized deciduous shrub, well bushy, adorned with foliage that ignites in autumn. The round heads of cream-white flowers bloom generously in spring with a pleasant fragrance, then give way to ornamental fruiting. Sometimes considered a bit dull in comparison to its Asian cousins, this Viburnum, on the other hand, has a robust temperament, an excellent adaptation to our climates and a great tolerance towards our calcareous soils. 

Originating from central and southern Europe, western Asia and North Africa, Viburnum lantana is known by various names depending on our regions, such as lantana, wayfaring tree or guelder rose. It is a deciduous shrub of light woodlands and scrub, often growing on calcareous soil at altitudes below 1600 m. The 'Mohican' cultivar has a more compact habit and smaller dimensions than the species, not exceeding 2 m in height by 2.25 m in spread. Flowering from April to June is abundant, appearing at the tips of one-year-old branches. The rounded and flattened clusters, 4 to 10 centimetres in diameter, are composed of 5 mm white flowers with prominent yellow stamens. This fragrant flowering is followed by a clustered, quite original fruiting, enjoyed from September to December. The spherical fruits, measuring 8 mm in diameter, successively change from pink to red and then to black when ripe. They attract birds, which will brighten up the shortest and gloomiest days of the year. The deciduous foliage, greyish-green when unfolding and then darker, stands out from the flowers. The large, drooping, thick and rough leaves are oval and finely serrated, with the underside covered in fuzz. Each leaf measures up to 10 cm long and 6 cm wide. The autumn colours, often splendid, vary from year to year: they are probably dependent on climatic conditions and soil nature. The young woolly-looking branches are flexible and covered with small star-shaped hairs, gradually taking on a more greyish hue.

Hardy well beyond -15°C, Viburnum lantana 'Mohican' thrives in many growing conditions, from the north to the south of our country. It is used singly, in free hedges, in beds or in a grove. Plant it in a thoroughfare area to fully enjoy its fragrance (under a window or next to a door, for example). This variety, better suited to small gardens, allows for the creation of a very pleasant rural atmosphere alongside other native plants such as medlar, spindle tree, hazel, blackthorn as well as some perennials of the same kind: viper's bugloss, teasels, cornflowers, mulleins ...