Phenolic diversity in Viburnum L. Inflorescences: A comparative study of V. Opulus, V. Trilobum, and V. Sargentii

• Phenolic profiling of Viburnum inflorescences reveals species-specific trends. • Chlorogenic acid was the predominant phenolic compound. • Flavonol glycosides showed distinct accumulation patterns among genotypes. • PCA and HCA differentiated Viburnum species by phenolic composition. Viburnum L. species are widely recognized for their medicinal and ecological significance, yet the phenolic composition of their inflorescences is still underexplored. This study aims to characterize the phenolic profiles of inflorescences from Viburnum opulus, Viburnum trilobum , and Viburnum sargentii species’ cultivars and clones cultivated in Lithuania, providing insights into their phytochemical diversity. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering were performed to evaluate metabolic variability among species and genotypes. A total of 40 phenolic compounds were identified, predominantly chlorogenic acid, flavonol glycosides, and flavan-3-ols. Chlorogenic acid was the most abundant compound, accounting for 36–71 % of the total phenolic content. The phenolic composition varied significantly among species and flowering stages, with the highest levels of chlorogenic acid observed during the bud formation stage. V. opulus inflorescences were rich in kaempferol triglycosides, while V. trilobum and V. sargentii were dominated by rutin and quercetin-3-glucoside. PCA revealed species-specific clustering, with distinct metabolic profiles influenced by genotype. This study provides the first comprehensive phenolic profiling of Viburnum inflorescences, highlighting significant ontogenetic, interspecific, and genotypic variability. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of Viburnum phytochemistry and support the valorisation of its inflorescences for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.