Flowering shrub

Laurustinus

Viburnum tinus

🌷 Flowering shrubIntroduced in the lower 48

Laurustinus is a popular flowering shrub. It's on our flower lists for 19 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in February–December.

3states

19of our state lists

642U.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, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington

Quick look

Viburnum tinus, the laurustinus or laurustine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Viburnaceae, native to the Mediterranean area of Europe and North Africa.
From Wikipedia's article Viburnum tinus, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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 3 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–April. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 238 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #108 among the 178 flowers on our California list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 167 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #106 among the 187 flowers on our Washington list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 166 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #106 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. ^iNaturalist

Laurustinus gift ideas

Handmade laurustinus gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (63 records)

Bloom time in each of our 19 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
California	🌷 Garden	February–April	238
Washington	🌷 Garden	few records	167
Oregon	🌷 Garden	few records	166
North Carolina	🌷 Garden	few records	34
Georgia	🌷 Garden	few records	11
Virginia	🌷 Garden	few records	10
South Carolina	🌷 Garden	few records	8
Texas	🌷 Garden	few records	6
Alabama	🌷 Garden	few records	1
New York	🌷 Garden	few records	1
Arizona	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Florida	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Maryland	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Nebraska	🌷 Garden	few records	0
New Jersey	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Nevada	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Ohio	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Pennsylvania	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Tennessee	🌷 Garden	few records	0

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
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: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in California. ^{CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)}
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.
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}
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}
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}
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
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.
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}
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.
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}
Arizona: Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe has no Arizona rank for it. ^{AAC R3-3 App. A}
Florida: Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe has no Florida rank for it. ^{FAC 5B-40.0055}
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}
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}
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}
Nevada: Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe has no Nevada rank for it. ^{NAC 527.010}
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}
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}
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}
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 laurustinus in 3 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Oregon, Washington.

California counties with USDA records: San Francisco.

Washington counties with USDA records: King.

Oregon counties with USDA records: Coos.

More California flowers

American black elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

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🌼 Blooms: May–July

Red-berried elder

Sambucus racemosa

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🌼 Blooms: April–July

Mapleleaf viburnum

Viburnum acerifolium

Native

🌼 Blooms: April–June

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile VITI2.
iNaturalist, Viburnum tinus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Wikipedia, Viburnum tinus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
Texas: Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Texas: Texas noxious and invasive plant list (4 Tex. Admin. Code § 19.300(a)).
Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
New York: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3).
New York: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575).
Arizona: Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025).
Arizona: Arizona prohibited noxious weeds (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-4-245).
Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
Nebraska: Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004).
Nebraska: Nebraska noxious weeds (25 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 10, § 001.02).
New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 23, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Viburnum tinus (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Ai Yukino via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.