Nanneyberry
Viburnum lentago
Family: Adoxaceae
What it is like
A flowering shrubby tree. It can be 10 m high and have a trunk 15 cm across. The trunk is slender and crooked. The bark is greyish-brown. It has very small irregular scales. The leaves are 5-10 cm long. They are narrow and oval. The tip is slender and sharp. They taper to a short tip. The base is rounded. There are fine sharp teeth along the edge. The upper surface is yellowish green. There are tiny dark brown dots underneath. The leaf stalk is 1-2 cm long. It is grooved. There are wings along each side due to the leaf blade extending into the stalk. The twigs have an unpleasant smell when bruised. The flowers are creamy white. The occur in round topped clusters. These are 5-10 cm wide. Several branches radiate out from the shoot tip. The fruit are bluish-black and 8-12 mm long. They have a thin sweet edible flesh.
There are about 150 Viburnum species. Also put in the family Caprifoliaceae.
Where it is found
It is a cool temperate plant. It grows along river banks and on the edges of forests. Melbourne Botanical gardens. It suits hardiness zones 2-5.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Canada, North America, USA
How it is used for food
The fruit can be eaten fresh. After the seeds are removed the berries are used in puddings and fruit salad.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from root sprouts. It can also root from overhanging branches. It can be grown from seeds or cuttings.
Its other names
Local names
Sheepberry, Sweet Viburnum, Wild Raisin