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Viburnum opulus
Also called European cranberrybush, Cranberry-tree, European Cranberry Bush, Crampbark, European Cranberry Viburnum, European Highbush Cranberry, Cranberry Viburnum
A deciduous shrub to 4 to 5 m with white flower clusters in early summer and bright red berries, valued for ornament and wildlife. It grows best in moist, moderately alkaline soil, though it tolerates most soils.
Viburnum opulus, commonly known as the guelder-rose, or guelder rose () and highbush cranberry is a Eurasian and North American species of flowering plant in the family Viburnaceae.
Viburnum opulus is grown as an ornamental plant for its flowers and berries, growing best on moist, moderately alkaline soils, though tolerating most soil types well. Several cultivars have been selected, including 'Roseum', in which all the flowers are only of the larger sterile type, with globular flower heads.
The shrub is also cultivated as a component of hedgerows, cover plantings, and as part of other naturalistic plantings in its native regions.
The fruit is edible in small quantities, with a very bitter taste; it can be used to make jam. It is however mildly toxic, and may cause vomiting or diarrhea if eaten in large amounts. The ripe fruit is often ignored by birds and avoided by humans due to a foul smell emitted when crushed, described by some as "musty socks" or "urine and vomit".
The term 'cramp bark' is related to the bark's use in traditional medicine for cramps, but there is no scientific evidence of its effectiveness for this use or any other.
Viburnum opulus var. opulus is native to Europe, northern Africa, and central Asia. It is naturalised in North America. Viburnum opulus var. americanus is native to North America.
Mapleleaf viburnum · Viburnum awabuki · Birchleaf Viburnum · Viburnum ×bodnantense · Burkwood viburnum · Viburnum ×carlcephalum · Korean spice viburnum · Viburnum cinnamomifolium · David Viburnum · Squashberry · Viburnum erubescens · Culver's root
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Viburnum opulus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
