Details Top

Internal ID UUID64405ae3a6c09644603009
Scientific name Viburnum plicatum
Authority Thunb.
First published in Trans. Linn. Soc. 2: 332 (1794)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
- Viburnum plicatum, known as the Japanese snowball, is a popular ornamental shrub in horticulture. Commercial nurseries propagate the species for sale under a variety of cultivar names, and it is used in public parks, residential gardens, and commercial landscapes for its abundant white flower clusters and attractive foliage. The plant is sold as a container‑grown specimen, as a bare‑root plant, and as a topiary or hedge form, providing a reliable product for the ornamental trade.

Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- The ripe drupes of V. plicatum are edible and are employed in small‑scale food preparation. The fruit is harvested when fully colored, washed, and then cooked with sugar to produce jams, jellies, and preserves. In some regional cuisines, the cooked fruit is incorporated into sweet sauces, syrups, or as a flavoring component in baked goods. The fruit is not a staple commercial food product but appears in home‑kitchen and artisanal processing.

Properties relevant to use:
- The drupes are small (4–6 mm diameter) with a thin pericarp and a firm seed. Analyses of Viburnum fruit composition report a soluble‑sugar content in the range of 10–12 °Brix and a pectin concentration sufficient to form a gel when acidified, which is utilized in jam and jelly production. The fruit’s low tannin level reduces bitterness after cooking, facilitating its use in sweet applications.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- V. plicatum is cultivated widely for ornamental purposes across temperate zones and is not considered threatened by conservation bodies. Nurseries propagate the species through vegetative cuttings and seed, enabling a steady supply. Production follows integrated horticultural practices that emphasize efficient water use, minimal pesticide application, and recycling of growing media, resulting in a low‑impact supply chain for the ornamental market.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Viburnum plicatum var. dilatatum Lindl.
Viburnum tomentosum var. rotundifolium Rehder
Viburnum plicatum f. rotundifolium (Rehder) Rehder
Viburnum tomentosum var. plenum (Miq.) Rehder
Viburnum tomentosum f. rotundifolium (Rehder) Rehder
Viburnum tomentosum var. sterile K.Koch
Viburnum tomentosum f. sterile (K.Koch) Zabel Hort. Dendrol. 301 1853
Viburnum plicatum var. plenum Miq. Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 2: 266 1866
Viburnum tomentosum var. plicatum (Thunb.) Maxim. Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg 26(3): 486–487 1880
Viburnum tomentosum f. plenum (Miq.) Rehder Trees & Shrubs 2(2): 108 1908
Viburnum plicatum f. watanabei (Honda) H.Hara Ginkgoana 5: 229. 1983
Viburnum plicatum subsp. glabrum (Koidz. ex Nakai) Kitam. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 25(2-3): 33. 1972 [25 Jul 1972]
Actinotinus sinensis Oliv. Hooker's Icon. Pl. 18: t. 1740 1888

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English japanese snowball
Czech kalina řasnatá
Persian گل برف ژاپنی
Persian گلولهٔ برفی ژاپنی
Persian ویبورنوم پلیکاتوم
Persian گلوله برفی ژاپنی
Japanese 藪手毬
Japanese ヤブデマリ
Korean 수구화나무
Chinese 蝴蝶树
Chinese 粉团
Chinese 雪球荚蒾
Chinese 粉團

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Name Authority First published in
Viburnum plicatum var. formosanum Y.C.Liu & C.H.Ou Quart. J. Chin. Forest. 12: 136 (1979)
Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum Miq. Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 2: 266 1866

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Asia-temperate
    • China
      • China North-central
      • China South-central
      • China Southeast
    • Eastern Asia
      • Japan
      • Taiwan
  • Northern America
    • North-central U.S.A.
      • Illinois
    • Northeastern U.S.A.
      • Connecticut
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • New Jersey
      • New York
      • Ohio
      • Pennsylvania
    • Northwestern U.S.A.
      • Oregon
    • Southeastern U.S.A.
      • Delaware
      • District Of Columbia

Links to other databases Top

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Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0001290683
USDA Plants VIPL
Tropicos 6000184
INPN 129089
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:149876-1
The Plant List tro-6000184
Missouri Botanical Garden 278960
Open Tree Of Life 1064635
NCBI Taxonomy 179996
Nature Serve 2.137141
IPNI 149876-1
iNaturalist 170203
GBIF 2888622
Freebase /m/03cm23m
EPPO VIBPL
EOL 488689
USDA GRIN 41404
Wikipedia Viburnum_plicatum

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Commodity risk assessment of Corylus avellana plants from the UK Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Civera AV, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P EFSA J 12-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10784871
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8495
PMID:38222930
Dominance of non-wetland-dependent pollinators in a plant community in a small natural wetland in Shimane, Japan Watazu T, Hiraiwa MK, Inoue M, Mishima H, Ushimaru A, Hosaka T J Plant Res 11-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10899375
doi:10.1007/s10265-023-01518-9
PMID:38206495
Improving Phage-Biofilm In Vitro Experimentation Abedon ST, Danis-Wlodarczyk KM, Wozniak DJ, Sullivan MB Viruses 19-Jun-2021
PMCID:PMC8234374
doi:10.3390/v13061175
PMID:34205417
Pathogenicity and Host Range of Pythium kashmirense—A Soil-Borne Oomycete Recently Discovered in the UK Benavent-Celma C, Puertolas A, McLaggan D, van West P, Woodward S J Fungi (Basel) 12-Jun-2021
PMCID:PMC8231611
doi:10.3390/jof7060479
PMID:34204817
Application of Real-Time PCR for the Detection and Quantification of Oomycetes in Ornamental Nursery Stock Puertolas A, Bonants PJ, Boa E, Woodward S J Fungi (Basel) 27-Jan-2021
PMCID:PMC7911672
doi:10.3390/jof7020087
PMID:33513806
Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Erysiphe lonicerae complex (Helotiales, Erysiphaceae) on Lonicera spp. Bradshaw M, Braun U, Götz M, Takamatsu S Fungal Syst Evol 26-Nov-2020
PMCID:PMC8165964
doi:10.3114/fuse.2021.07.03
PMID:34124617
A comprehensive dataset on cultivated and spontaneously growing vascular plants in urban gardens Frey D, Moretti M Data Brief 23-May-2019
PMCID:PMC6545399
doi:10.1016/j.dib.2019.103982
PMID:31194048
Identification and comparative analysis of the CIPK gene family and characterization of the cold stress response in the woody plant Prunus mume Li P, Zheng T, Li L, Zhuo X, Jiang L, Wang J, Cheng T, Zhang Q PeerJ 30-Apr-2019
PMCID:PMC6499057
doi:10.7717/peerj.6847
PMID:31106064
Novel Traits, Flower Symmetry, and Transcriptional Autoregulation: New Hypotheses From Bioinformatic and Experimental Data Sengupta A, Hileman LC Front Plant Sci 26-Oct-2018
PMCID:PMC6212560
doi:10.3389/fpls.2018.01561
PMID:30416508
Cercosporoid fungi (Mycosphaerellaceae) 4. Species on dicots (Acanthaceae to Amaranthaceae) Braun U, Crous PW, Nakashima C IMA Fungus 10-Nov-2015
PMCID:PMC4681261
doi:10.5598/imafungus.2015.06.02.09
PMID:26734548
Phytophagous Insects on Native and Non-Native Host Plants: Combining the Community Approach and the Biogeographical Approach Meijer K, Zemel H, Chiba S, Smit C, Beukeboom LW, Schilthuizen M PLoS One 08-May-2015
PMCID:PMC4425698
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125607
PMID:25955254
Diversification of CYCLOIDEA expression in the evolution of bilateral flower symmetry in Caprifoliaceae and Lonicera (Dipsacales) Howarth DG, Martins T, Chimney E, Donoghue MJ Ann Bot 07-Apr-2011
PMCID:PMC3108805
doi:10.1093/aob/mcr049
PMID:21478175
Three New Glycosides from <i>Viburnum plicatum</i><scp>Thunb</scp>. var. <i>tomentosum</i><scp>Miq</scp>. Koichi Machida, Hitomi Sagawa, Rie Onoguchi, Masao Kikuchi Wiley 11-Feb-2010
doi:10.1002/HLCA.200900232
Evolution of fruit and seed characters in the Diervilla and Lonicera clades (Caprifoliaceae, Dipsacales) Jacobs B, Lens F, Smets E Ann Bot 05-Jun-2009
PMCID:PMC2710890
doi:10.1093/aob/mcp131
PMID:19502353
In vitro Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of an Extract of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Pits on a Pseudomonas Phage Jassim SA, Naji MA Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 27-Oct-2007
PMCID:PMC2816388
doi:10.1093/ecam/nem160
PMID:18955267

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides
(2S,3R,4S)-3-ethenyl-4-[2-[(E)-2-methylbut-2-enoyl]oxyethyl]-2-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-5-carboxylic acid 101495236 Click to see 458.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
3-ethenyl-4-[2-(2-methylbut-2-enoyloxy)ethyl]-2-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-5-carboxylic acid 162900802 Click to see CC=C(C)C(=O)OCCC1C(C(OC=C1C(=O)O)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)C=C 458.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
methyl (2S,3R,4S)-3-ethenyl-4-[2-[(E)-2-methylbut-2-enoyl]oxyethyl]-2-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-5-carboxylate 101495235 Click to see CC=C(C)C(=O)OCCC1C(C(OC=C1C(=O)OC)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)C=C 472.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
methyl 3-ethenyl-4-[2-(2-methylbut-2-enoyloxy)ethyl]-2-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-5-carboxylate 162842470 Click to see CC=C(C)C(=O)OCCC1C(C(OC=C1C(=O)OC)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)C=C 472.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Saccharolipids
[2-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]methyl 2-[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-[(2S)-2-methylbutanoyl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-6-hydroxybenzoate 102420624 Click to see 668.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
[2-[3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]methyl 2-[3,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-(2-methylbutanoyloxy)oxan-2-yl]oxy-6-hydroxybenzoate 163076440 Click to see 668.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds
(S)-alpha-Terpinyl glucoside 13325862 Click to see CC1=CCC(CC1)C(C)(C)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O 316.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
beta-D-Glucopyranoside, 1-methyl-1-[(1R)-4-methyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl]ethyl 21603514 Click to see 316.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / 2-arylbenzofuran flavonoids
(+)-Dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl Alcohol-9-O-Beta-D-Glucopyranoside 44577121 Click to see 522.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
(7'R,8'R)-4,7'-Epoxy-3',5-dimethoxy-4',9,9'-lignanetriol 9'-glucoside 14558383 Click to see 522.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
3-(beta-d-Glucopyranosyloxymethyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-7-methoxy-(2r,3s)-dihydrobenzofuran 10098244 Click to see COC1=CC(=CC2=C1OC(C2COC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O)C4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)OC)CCCO 522.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones
Luteolin 5280445 Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)O 286.24 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94161-X
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols
Quercetin 5280343 Click to see 302.23 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94161-X
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides
2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[[(2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]oxan-2-yl]oxychromen-4-one 162995346 Click to see 610.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
5,7-Dihydroxy-2-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-3-(3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-((3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-Methyloxan-2-Yl)Oxymethyl)Oxan-2-Yl)Oxychromen-4-One 12313332 Click to see 594.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[[(2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]oxan-2-yl]oxychromen-4-one 162951775 Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC=C(C=C5)O)O)O)O)O)O)O 594.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
Kaempferol-3-O-Rutinoside 5318767 Click to see 594.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
Rutin 5280805 Click to see 610.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232
Vitamin P 5293655 Click to see 610.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.200900232

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