Plot & PetalField ManualAll plants
Sweet Viburnum
Viburnum odoratissimum
Zones: 7a to 9b
- Fragrant Evergreen Hedge
- Common Name Collision with Black Haw
Pet & Human Safety
People: Not researchedPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
No toxicity claim found for this specific species (Viburnum odoratissimum) from ASPCA or NC State Extension. IMPORTANT: do not confuse this with ASPCA's "Black Haw" page (Viburnum lentago), which lists "Sweet Viburnum" as an alternate common name and states that different species is non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses: that verdict is for a different plant and should not be applied here: a same-genus non-toxic relative doesn't license an inferred-safe verdict for another species.
PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.
Poison control
If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.
Naturalist Lore
Historical Background & Breeding Lore
The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonCare
- Hardiness zones
USDA zones 7a to 9b
- Mature size
10-20 feet tall, 15-20 feet wide (NC State Extension).
- Family
Adoxaceae (formerly Caprifoliaceae/viburnum family)
- Where it comes from
India, China, and Taiwan (NC State Extension).
How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.
Get the app: coming soonAnatomy & Guilds
Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics
How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.
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Field Doctor
What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.
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Vintage Plates
Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonSources
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Viburnum odoratissimum (the actual catalog species: no toxicity statement)
- ASPCA, Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Black Haw (Viburnum lentago: DIFFERENT SPECIES that also carries the "Sweet Viburnum" common name; its non-toxic verdict does NOT apply to this guide)