Bloomipedia
Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii)
Photo: wilderbombyx via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flowering shrub

Koreanspice viburnum

Viburnum carlesii

🌷 Flowering shrubIntroduced in the lower 48

Koreanspice viburnum is a popular flowering shrub. It's on our flower lists for 38 states.

1states
38of our state lists
269U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Planted garden shrubs are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Quick look

Viburnum carlesii, the arrowwood or Korean spice viburnum, is a species of flowering plant in the family Adoxaceae, native to Korea and Japan and naturalised in Ohio, US. Growing to 2 m (7 ft) tall and broad, it is a bushy deciduous shrub with oval leaves which are copper-coloured when young. Round clusters of red buds open to strongly scented, pale pink flowers in late spring.

  • It belongs to the Viburnaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 1 states. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 48 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #130 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 38 research-grade sightings of it in Maryland, ranking #132 among the 189 flowers on our Maryland list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 31 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #119 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist

Koreanspice viburnum gift ideas

Handmade koreanspice viburnum gifts from independent makers.

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (10 records)
Bloom time in each of our 38 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
Virginia🌷 Gardenfew records48
Maryland🌷 Gardenfew records38
Illinois🌷 Gardenfew records31
North Carolina🌷 Gardenfew records26
Michigan🌷 Gardenfew records23
Ohio🌷 Gardenfew records14
Missouri🌷 Gardenfew records10
Tennessee🌷 Gardenfew records10
Georgia🌷 Gardenfew records9
Iowa🌷 Gardenfew records8
Kentucky🌷 Gardenfew records8
Nebraska🌷 Gardenfew records8
Pennsylvania🌷 Gardenfew records6
Wisconsin🌷 Gardenfew records6
Utah🌷 Gardenfew records5
Indiana🌷 Gardenfew records3
Oregon🌷 Gardenfew records3
South Carolina🌷 Gardenfew records3
Washington🌷 Gardenfew records3
West Virginia🌷 Gardenfew records3
Delaware🌷 Gardenfew records2
Idaho🌷 Gardenfew records1
New York🌷 Gardenfew records1
New Hampshire🌷 Gardenfew records0
Alabama🌷 Gardenfew records0
Arkansas🌷 Gardenfew records0
California🌷 Gardenfew records0
Colorado🌷 Gardenfew records0
Connecticut🌷 Gardenfew records0
Kansas🌷 Gardenfew records0
Massachusetts🌷 Gardenfew records0
Maine🌷 Gardenfew records0
Minnesota🌷 Gardenfew records0
New Jersey🌷 Gardenfew records0
Oklahoma🌷 Gardenfew records0
Rhode Island🌷 Gardenfew records0
Texas🌷 Gardenfew records0
Vermont🌷 Gardenfew records0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe has no Virginia rank for it. 2VAC5-320-10
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe has no Maryland rank for it. COMAR 08.03.08
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe has no Illinois rank for it. IL E&T checklist 2025
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe has no North Carolina rank for it. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Michigan
Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe has no Michigan rank for it. R 299.1028
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe has no Ohio rank for it. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe has no Missouri rank for it. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe has no Tennessee rank for it. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe has no Georgia rank for it. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe has no Iowa rank for it. IAC 571-77.3
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe has no Nebraska rank for it. 163 NAC 4-004
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe has no Pennsylvania rank for it. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe has no Wisconsin rank for it. NR 27.03
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe has no Utah rank for it.
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe has no Indiana rank for it.
Oregon
Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe has no Oregon rank for it. OAR 603-073-0070
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe has no South Carolina rank for it.
Washington
No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe has no Washington rank for it.
West Virginia
No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe has no West Virginia rank for it.
Delaware
Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe has no Delaware rank for it. DE rare plants 2024
Idaho
No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe has no Idaho rank for it.
New York
Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe has no New York rank for it. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
New Hampshire
Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe has no New Hampshire rank for it. NH Ncr 312
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe has no Alabama rank for it.
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe has no Arkansas rank for it.
California
Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe has no California rank for it. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe has no Colorado rank for it.
Connecticut
Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe has no Connecticut rank for it. CT E/T/SC list
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe has no Kansas rank for it.
Massachusetts
Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe has no Massachusetts rank for it. MESA list
Maine
Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe has no Maine rank for it. Maine rare plant list
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe has no Minnesota rank for it. Minn. R. 6134.0300
New Jersey
Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe has no New Jersey rank for it. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe has no Oklahoma rank for it.
Rhode Island
Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe has no Rhode Island rank for it. RI rare plants 2016
Texas
Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe has no Texas rank for it. 31 TAC 69.8
Vermont
Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe has no Vermont rank for it. Vermont E&T list
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Viburnum lentago (“Black Haw”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records koreanspice viburnum in 1 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Ohio.

More Virginia flowers

Sources