Shrub loved by birds spotted growing wild in Maryland
iNaturalist: tburnett604
Invasive Species
If you've got birds visiting your yard, the berries on this shrub are a favorite snack, but its seeds can hitch a ride into nearby woods and push out native plants.
Someone out exploring in Thurmont, Maryland found and photographed a linden viburnum shrub, and experts confirmed the ID, making it a verified sighting. This shrub comes from Asia and was planted widely for its fall berries, but those same berries get eaten by birds and dropped elsewhere, letting the plant pop up far from gardens.
Key Findings
1
Observation was verified as research-grade, meaning multiple reviewers confirmed the species ID
2
Location: Thurmont, Maryland, a town bordering Catoctin Mountain Park
3
Linden viburnum is a non-native Asian shrub known for bird-dispersed berries and naturalizing in wild areas
chevron_right
Technical Summary
A birdwatcher or hiker in Thurmont, Maryland confirmed a linden viburnum shrub growing wild, a plant known for its berries that birds love and its tendency to spread into new areas.
description
Abstract Preview
Original paper
linden viburnum (Viburnum dilatatum) observed in Thurmont, MD, US
Research-grade observation of linden viburnum in Thurmont, MD, US.
Viburnum dilatatum, commonly known as linden arrowwood or linden viburnum, is a deciduous shrub in the family Viburnaceae. It is native to eastern Asia, and can be found as an introduced plant in the mid-Atlantic regions in the U.S from New York to Virginia. Linden arrowwood is known for the clus...
