North America Non-native Plant

Viburnum Burejaeticum

Botanical name: Viburnum burejaeticum

USDA symbol: VIBU2

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

Viburnum burejaeticum: The Mystery Viburnum That’s Hard to Find If you’ve stumbled across the name Viburnum burejaeticum in your gardening research, you might be scratching your head wondering why there’s so little information about this particular plant. Well, you’re not alone! This mysterious member of the viburnum family is one ...

Viburnum burejaeticum: The Mystery Viburnum That’s Hard to Find

If you’ve stumbled across the name Viburnum burejaeticum in your gardening research, you might be scratching your head wondering why there’s so little information about this particular plant. Well, you’re not alone! This mysterious member of the viburnum family is one of those botanical enigmas that keeps even experienced gardeners guessing.

What We Know (And Don’t Know)

Here’s the thing about Viburnum burejaeticum – it’s incredibly elusive in terms of available information. While the name suggests it belongs to the beloved viburnum family, detailed growing information, native range, and even basic characteristics are surprisingly scarce in most gardening resources and botanical databases.

This lack of information could mean several things:

  • It might be an extremely rare species with limited distribution
  • The name could be a regional variant or local designation
  • It may be an outdated botanical name or synonym for another viburnum species
  • Documentation and study of this particular species may be incomplete

The Viburnum Family Connection

What we do know is that if this is indeed a true viburnum species, it would share some characteristics with its well-documented cousins. The viburnum family is generally known for:

  • Attractive spring flowers, often fragrant
  • Colorful fall berries that attract birds
  • Decent drought tolerance once established
  • Adaptability to various growing conditions
  • Value as both ornamental and wildlife plants

Should You Plant It?

Here’s where things get tricky. Without reliable information about this specific viburnum’s characteristics, native status, growing requirements, or availability, it’s difficult to recommend it for your garden. If you’ve encountered this name through a specialty nursery or botanical source, your best bet is to:

  • Ask detailed questions about its origin and characteristics
  • Verify the botanical name and any synonyms
  • Request information about its native range and growing requirements
  • Consider whether it’s been properly identified

Better Alternatives

Instead of hunting for this elusive species, consider these well-documented native viburnums that offer proven garden performance:

  • American Cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus var. americanum) – Great for wet areas with showy fall color
  • Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) – Adaptable native with excellent wildlife value
  • Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) – Tall native species perfect for naturalistic plantings
  • Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium) – Drought-tolerant native with gorgeous fall color

The Bottom Line

While the mystery of Viburnum burejaeticum might intrigue botanical enthusiasts, practical gardeners are probably better served by choosing from the many well-documented viburnum species available. These proven performers offer reliable characteristics, known growing requirements, and established wildlife benefits.

If you’re determined to track down this particular species, connect with botanical gardens, university extension services, or specialty native plant societies who might have more detailed information. Sometimes the most interesting plants are the ones that make us work a little harder to understand them!

Remember, successful gardening often comes down to choosing the right plant for your specific conditions and goals – and that’s much easier to do when you have solid information to work with.

Viburnum Burejaeticum

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Asteridae

Order

Dipsacales

Family

Caprifoliaceae Juss. - Honeysuckle family

Genus

Viburnum L. - viburnum

Species

Viburnum burejaeticum Regel & Herder

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA