European Cranberrybush Viburnum Viburnum opulus
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Viburnum trilobum
- Phonetic Spelling
- vih-BUR-num OP-yoo-lus
- Description
-
American Cranberry Viburnum's native habitat is cool moist woodlands, streambanks in wooded areas, sandy swamps, soggy thickets, bogs, marshes and roadside ditches. It has attractive flowers, foliage, drupes, and autumn coloration. Despite the name, it is not a cranberry, the berries merely looking like those of the Vaccinium genus.
It grows best in moist, well-drained, humusy soils. It is drought tolerant and very easy to grow. Prune out the oldest stems to renew. This plant is mildly resistant to damage by deer.
Pest: The Viburnum Leaf Beetle can cause defoliation.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Compactum'
- 'Notcutt'
- 'Wentworth'
May be listed under the species name V. trilobum
Huge, long-lasting flowers produced in mid-spring and turn from green to white - 'Compactum'
- 'Compactum', 'Notcutt', 'Roseum', 'Wentworth'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Compactum'
- 'Notcutt'
- 'Wentworth'
May be listed under the species name V. trilobum
Huge, long-lasting flowers produced in mid-spring and turn from green to white - 'Compactum'
- 'Compactum', 'Notcutt', 'Roseum', 'Wentworth'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Viburnum
- Species:
- opulus
- Family:
- Viburnaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Bark used medicinally
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe, North America
- Distribution:
- CT , IA , ID , IL , IN , KY , MA , ME , MI , MN , MO , MT , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SD , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NS , PE , QC , SK
- Wildlife Value:
- Mildly deer resistant. Birds love the berries. Host plant to the Spring Azure butterfly.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Edibility:
- Drupes can be eaten off the bush or used in jams.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Dense
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2b, 2a, 3a, 3b, 4b, 4a, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 0.3 in. bright red drupe in fall that persists into winter.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- White flowers on 2 to 4 in. flat-topped cyme. Larger sterile flowers surround fertile smaller flowers.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 2-5" long and nearly as wide glossy dark green leaves are three-lobed with pointed tips and have a reddish tinge when young. The fall color is yellow to red-purple.
-
-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Bark Description:
- Gray-brown waxy bark
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are brown and glabrous with white lenticels.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
