MELBOURNE STREET TREES 81 - LAURUSTINUS

Viburnum tinus (Laurustinus, Laurustinus Viburnum, or Laurestine) is a species of flowering plant in the family Adoxaceae, native to the Mediterranean area of Europe and North Africa. 'Laurus' signifies the leaves' superficial similarities to bay laurel.

It is a shrub (rarely a small tree) reaching 2–7 m tall and 3 m broad, with a dense, rounded crown. The leaves are evergreen, persisting 2–3 years, ovate to elliptic, borne in opposite pairs, 4–10 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, with an entire margin. The flowers are small, white or light pink, produced from reddish-pink buds in dense cymes 5–10 cm diameter in the winter. The fragrant flowers are bisexual and pentamerous. The flowering period is from October to June. Pollination is by insects. The fruit is a dark blue-black drupe 5–7 mm long.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.