American Cranberry, Highbush Cranberry, Cranberrybush, American Cranberrybush Viburnum
Viburnum trilobum
Family: Adoxaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Late spring. Form: Rounded, Upright or erect.
Viburnum trilobum is a deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft 10in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in June, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 3
Where it is found
Stream banks. Low moist ground.
N. America - Newfoundland to British Columbia, New Jersey, Michigan, Iowa, South Dakota and Oregon.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Fruit - raw or cooked. Juicy but acid, the taste is best after a frost. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, they are an excellent substitute for cranberries and are used in preserves, jams etc. A jam made from the fruit has a very pleasant flavour that goes well in a porridge. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter and contains a single large seed.
Medicine
Rating: 1
An infusion of the roots has been used in the treatment of prolapse of the uterus. A decoction has been given to babies with fevers. A decoction of the branches has been used to treat a fallen womb after birth. The bark is laxative. An infusion of the roots has been used to make a person vomit in the treatment of bad blood and fevers. An infusion of the inner bark has been used to treat stomach cramps.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Women's complaints: A very vague title, it deals with a miscellany of problems peculiar to the female sex.
Other
Rating: 0
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Foundation, Massing, Screen, Specimen, Winter interest. An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but is ill-adapted for poor soils and for dry situations. It grows well in heavy clay soils. Established plants are drought tolerant. Prefers a deep rich loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Best if given shade from the early morning sun in spring. This species is considered by some botanists to be no more than a superior fruiting form of V. opulus that was taken to America by early settlers. Occasionally cultivated for its edible fruit, there are some named varieties. The fruit is very attractive to birds. Some reports say that this species is self-fertile whilst others say it is self-incompatible. It is probably best to grow at least two different cultivars in order to produce fruit and fertile seed. Special Features: North American native, Attracts butterflies, Blooms are very showy. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is multistemmed with multiple stems from the crown. The root pattern is flat with shallow roots forming a plate near the soil surface.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Germination can be slow, sometimes taking more than 18 months. If the seed is harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has fully ripened) and sown immediately in a cold frame, it should germinate in the spring. Stored seed will require 2 months warm then 3 months cold stratification and can still take 18 months to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of soft-wood, early summer in a frame. Pot up into individual pots once they start to root and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8 cm long with a heel if possible, July/August in a frame. Plant them into individual pots as soon as they start to root. These cuttings can be difficult to overwinter, it is best to keep them in a greenhouse or cold frame until the following spring before planting them out. Cuttings of mature wood, winter in a frame. They should root in early spring - pot them up when large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer if sufficient new growth is made, otherwise keep them in a cold frame for the next winter and then plant them out in the spring. Layering of current seasons growth in July/August. Takes 15 months.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 2-7
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Large quantities of the fruit can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. The fruit is of very low or zero toxicity, it only causes mild upsets when eaten unripe or in large quantities.
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
Viburnum opulus trilobum. V. opulus americanum. Ait.