{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Speciesbox | image = Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) fruits (15726383257).jpg | image_caption = In Hérault, southern France | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Wilson, B. |year=2018 |title=''Viburnum tinus'' |article-number=e.T79146836A121076349 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T79146836A121076349.en |access-date=26 March 2026}}</ref> | genus = Viburnum | species = tinus | authority = L. | synonyms = *''Viburnum rigidum'' <small>Vent.</small> *''Viburnum rugosum'' <small>Pers.</small> *''Viburnum strictum'' <small>Link</small> *''Tinus lucidus'' <small>J.Presl</small> *''Tinus lauriformis'' <small>J.Presl</small> *''Tinus laurifolius'' <small>Borkh. in Roem.</small> *''Viburnum lauriforme'' <small>Lam.</small> *''Viburnum hyemale'' <small>Salisb.</small> }}

'''''Viburnum tinus''''', the '''laurustinus''' or '''laurustine''', is a species of flowering plant in the family Adoxaceae, native to the Mediterranean area of Europe and North Africa.

==Description== thumb|left|Flower and leaves It is a shrub (rarely a small tree) reaching {{convert|2|-|7|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} tall and {{convert|3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} broad,<ref name=RHSAZ>{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|pages=1136}}</ref> with a dense, rounded crown. The leaves are evergreen, persisting 2–3 years, ovate to elliptic, borne in opposite pairs, 4–10&nbsp;cm long and 2–4&nbsp;cm broad, fine hairs persisting on the underside, with an entire margin.

The flowers are small, white or light pink, produced from reddish-pink buds in dense cymes 5–10&nbsp;cm diameter in the winter. The fragrant flowers (some consider the fragrance offensive, especially after rain when it is very strong{{citation needed|date=March 2026}}) are bisexual (monoecious — having both male and female parts on one plant) and pentamerous. The flowering period is in winter, or from October to June in the northern hemisphere. The five petals are tubular, with rounded, corolla lobes, pink in the bud but later white. There is only one whorl with five stamens. Pollination is by insects. The fruit is a dark blue-black drupe 5–7&nbsp;mm long. A 2020 study of the metallic blue hue of the fruit revealed microscopic globules of fat to be the cause, an example of structural colour,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hartley|first=Charlotte|date=2020-08-06|title=The secret to this fruit's mysterious blue color|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/secret-fruit-s-mysterious-blue-color|access-date=2020-08-07|website=Science {{!}} AAAS|language=en}}</ref> which is unusual in plants.

The leaves have domatia where predatory and microbivorous mites can be housed.<ref>Plants, mites and mutualism: leaf domatia and the abundance and reproduction of mites on ''Viburnum tinus'' (Caprifoliaceae). Raul Grostal and Dennis J. O'Dowd, Oecologia, April 1994, Volume 97, Issue 3, pages 308-315, {{doi|10.1007/BF00317319}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat== Native to the Mediterranean region, ''Viburnum tinus'' prefers shady, moist areas. It is most commonly found in the western Mediterranean due to a shorter drought season and is one of the dominant species of Mediterranean sclerophyllous shrubland.<ref name=IUCN/> It was introduced to Britain by 1596, and is now widely naturalised in southern England, and more locally in northern England, Wales, and Scotland; it is also locally naturalised in southeastern Ireland.<ref name="PlantAtlas">{{cite web |title=Laurustinus ''Viburnum tinus'' L. |website=PlantAtlas |url=https://plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9h.dhv |access-date=2026-04-01}}</ref> It has also been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the United States (California, Oregon) and Tajikistan.<ref>{{cite web |title=''Viburnum tinus'' L. |url=https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/5BCFT |publisher=Catalogue of Life |access-date=23 July 2025}}</ref>

==Cultivation== ''Viburnum tinus'' is widely cultivated for its winter flowers and metallic blue berries. It is hardy down to {{convert|-10|C|F|abbr=on}}. The cultivars 'Eve Price',<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/96126/i-Viburnum-tinus-i-Eve-Price/Details | title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Viburnum tinus'' 'Eve Price' | access-date = 18 February 2019}}</ref> 'French White'<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/98856/i-Viburnum-tinus-i-French-White/Details | title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Viburnum tinus'' 'French White' | access-date = 18 February 2019}}</ref> and 'Gwenllian'<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/91825/i-Viburnum-tinus-i-Gwenllian/Details | title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Viburnum tinus'' 'Gwenllian' | access-date = 18 February 2019}}</ref> have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 107 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 18 February 2019}}</ref>

===Other uses=== 'The active ingredients are viburnin (a substance or more probably a mixture of compounds) and tannins. Tannins can cause stomach upset. The leaves when infused are said to have antipyretic properties. The fruits have been used as purgatives against constipation. The tincture has been used lately in herbal medicine as a remedy for depression. The plant also contains iridoid glucosides.<ref>Iridoid glucosides from ''Viburnum tinus''. Lamberto Tomassini, M. Francesca Cometa, Sebastiano Foddai and Marcello Nicoletti, Phytochemistry, January 1995, Volume 38, Issue 2, Pages 423–425, {{doi|10.1016/0031-9422(94)00618-4}}</ref>

==Pests== In south-east Britain, ''Viburnum tinus'' is the principal host of the viburnum beetle (''Pyrrhalta viburni''), the country's "number one pest species" according to the Royal Horticultural Society.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/News/Top-10-pests |title=Top 10 pests |date=19 January 2011 |publisher=Royal Horticultural Society |access-date=10 May 2011 |location=Wisley, England |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009235729/http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/News/Top-10-pests |archive-date=9 October 2013 }}</ref>

==Etymology== The generic name of the plant derives from Latin {{lang|la|viburnum}}, referring to ''Viburnum lantana''.<ref>{{L&S|viburnum|ref}}</ref> The specific name derives from Latin {{lang|la|tinus}} referring to the plant itself, ''Viburnum tinus''.<ref>{{L&S|tinus|ref}}</ref> ''Laurus'' in 'laurustinus' signifies the leaves' similarities to bay laurel.

==Gallery== <gallery> Viburnum tinus DT1.JPG|Plant MHNT Viburnum tinus.jpg|Inflorescence Caprifoliaceae - Viburnum tinus.JPG|Close-up on flowers Άγουροι καρποί βιβούρνου του κοινού.jpg|Unripe fruit Caprifoliaceae - Viburnum tinus-1 (2).JPG|Ripe fruit Caprifoliaceae - Viburnum tinus-3.JPG|Close-up of fruit Caprifoliaceae - Viburnum tinus (2).JPG|Leaf </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Viburnum+&SPECIES_XREF=tinus&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: ''Viburnum tinus''] * Eriksson, O., et al. 1979. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants * Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia – Edagricole – 1982, Vol. II, pag. 639 * [https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id194368/ Biolib] * [http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index2.php?scientific-name=viburnum+tinus Viburnum tinus]

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tinus Category:Flora of Europe Category:Flora of North Africa Category:Flora of Western Asia Category:Medicinal plants Category:Garden plants Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus