We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Viburnum opulus - L.

Common Name Guelder Rose, Cramp Bark, European cranberrybush, American cranberrybush, Crampbark, European Highb
Family Adoxaceae
USDA hardiness 3-8
Known Hazards Large quantities of the fruit can cause vomiting and diarrhoea[10, 65]. The fruit is of very low or zero toxicity, it only causes mild upsets when eaten unripe or in large quantities[65, 76].
Habitats Hedges, scrub and woodland, usually on damp soils[3, 13, 17].
Range Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, north and west Asia.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (3 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Wet Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose, Cramp Bark,  European cranberrybush, American cranberrybush, Crampbark, European Highb


commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Quartl
Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose, Cramp Bark,  European cranberrybush, American cranberrybush, Crampbark, European Highb
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viburnum_opulus_Sturm43.jpg

 

Translate this page:

Summary

Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Oval, Upright or erect .


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Viburnum opulus is a deciduous Shrub growing to 5 m (16ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
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 and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Hedge; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:

Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 3, 5, 46]. The fruit is up to 8.5mm in diameter but with a large seed[200]. A sour taste, it is best cooked. The crushed fruit has an unpleasant smell[4]. Used as a cranberry substitute in making, jellies, preserves etc[183]. Some caution is advised, see notes on toxicity at top of the page.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antispasmodic  Astringent  Birthing aid  Homeopathy  Sedative

Guelder rose is a powerful antispasmodic and is much used in the treatment of asthma, cramps and other conditions such as colic or painful menstruation[254]. It is also used as a sedative remedy for nervous conditions[254]. The bark is antispasmodic, astringent and sedative[4, 9, 46, 165, 213]. The bark contains 'scopoletin', a coumarin that has a sedative affect on the uterus[238]. A tea is used internally to relieve all types of spasms, including menstrual cramps, spasms after childbirth and threatened miscarriage[9, 222, 238]. It is also used in the treatment of nervous complaints and debility[4, 46, 165, 213]. The bark is harvested in the autumn before the leaves change colour, or in the spring before the leaf buds open. It is dried for later use[238]. The leaves and fruits are antiscorbutic, emetic and laxative[4, 222]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh bark[9]. It is used in the treatment of menstrual pain and spasms after childbirth[9].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Dye  Hedge  Hedge  Ink  Wood

A red dye is obtained from the fruit[13]. An ink can be made from the dried berries[4]. Plants can be grown as a tall hedge[29], they are rather bare in winter though[K]. The wood can be used to make skewers[4].

Special Uses

Food Forest  Hedge  Hedge

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Landscape Uses:Border, Massing, Screen, Specimen. An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but is ill-adapted for poor soils and for dry situations[1]. It prefers a deep rich moist loamy soil in a sunny position[11]. Succeeds in semi-shade but does not grow or fruit so well in such a position[186]. Grows well in heavy clay soils and on chalk[184]. Does not do well on very acid soils. Best if given shade from the early morning sun in spring[200]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is hardy to about -30°c[184] and is often grown in the flower garden. There are many named varieties[184]. Guelder rose regenerates quickly if it is cut to the ground, it can also produce suckers and will often form thickets[186]. The plant is an alternative host for the broad bean aphid[11]. Special Features: Not North American native, Naturalizing, Attractive flowers or blooms. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is fleshy. Thick or swollen - fibrous or tap root [2-1].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

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[80]. Stored seed will require 2 months warm then 3 months cold stratification and can still take 18 months to germinate[113]. 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[200]. 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[78, 113]. 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[113]. 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[78].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia (Eastern Siberia (southeast)), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation (Kurile Islands, Primorye, Amur), China (Anhui Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Henan Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Gansu Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu), Korea, Japan (Hokkaidô, Honshu) NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Québec (south), Nova Scotia, Ontario (south), Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta (south), Manitoba (south), British Columbia (south)), United States (Indiana (north), Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio (north), Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia, Connecticut, Iowa (north), Minnesota, Nebraska (Douglas Co.), North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois (north), Wisconsin, Idaho (north), Washington, Wyoming (Crook Co.), Virginia (north)) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, France

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Viburnum betulifolium Shrub3.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Viburnum cassinoidesWithe Rod, Appalachian Tea, Witherod Viburnum, Witherod, Wild Raisin ViburnumShrub2.5 2-8 MLMHSNM310
Viburnum cordifoliumViburnumTree6.0 8-9 MLMHSNM102
Viburnum corylifolium Shrub3.0 5-9  LMHSNM10 
Viburnum cotinifolium Shrub3.5 5-9  LMHSNM303
Viburnum cylindricum Shrub5.0 5-9  LMHSNM113
Viburnum dentatumArrow Wood, Southern arrowwood, Southern Arrowwood ViburnumShrub4.5 2-8 FLMHSNM21 
Viburnum dilatatumLinden Viburnum, Linden arrowwoodShrub3.0 5-8 MLMHSNM312
Viburnum eduleMooseberry, SquashberryShrub2.5 4-8  LMHSNM313
Viburnum erosumViburnumShrub1.8 6-9 MLMHSNM20 
Viburnum erubescens Shrub5.0 5-9  LMHSNM212
Viburnum erubescens gracilipes Shrub5.0 5-9  LMHSNM202
Viburnum farreriCulver's root, Fragrant ViburnumShrub3.0 5-8 MLMHSNM300
Viburnum foetens Shrub3.0 5-9  LMHSNM303
Viburnum fordiae Shrub0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Viburnum furcatum Shrub3.5 5-9  LMHSM10 
Viburnum grandiflorumCranberry bush,Shrub2.0 6-9  LMHSNM300
Viburnum japonicum Shrub1.8 6-9 SLMHSNM20 
Viburnum lantanaWayfaring Tree, Wayfaring Tree ViburnumShrub5.0 4-7 MLMHSNDM101
Viburnum lantanoidesHobbleberryShrub3.0 3-7  LMHFSNM310
Viburnum lentagoSheepberry, Nannyberry, Nannyberry ViburnumTree9.0 2-8 MLMHSNM413
Viburnum mongolicum Shrub2.0 4-8  LMHSNM10 
Viburnum mullaha Shrub3.0 8-11  LMHSNM212
Viburnum nudumSmooth Withe Rod, Possumhaw, Withe-rod, Swamp Haw, Smooth Witherod, Possum Haw Viburnum, Possum HawShrub4.5 5-9 MLMHSNM31 
Viburnum odoratissimumSweet ViburnumShrub5.0 8-10 SLMHSNM10 
Viburnum phlebotrichum Shrub2.5 5-9  LMHSNM10 
Viburnum plicatumJapanese Snowball, Japanese Snowball Viburnum, Doublefile ViburnumShrub4.0 5-8 MLMHSNM10 
Viburnum prunifoliumStagberry, Black Haw, Hybrid blackhaw, Smooth Blackhaw, Blackhaw ViburnumTree7.5 3-9 SLMHSNDM233
Viburnum rufidulumSouthern Black Haw, Rusty blackhawShrub12.0 4-8  LMHSNM311
12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

1117200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Marko Markkanen   Tue Sep 8 2009

In Finland this plant is said to be toxic containing Virbumine, which causes serious intestine inflammation.

Eve Cruse   Mon Oct 26 2009

In Central Alberta, Canada where berries are plentiful along some river banks, the berries are used for jam. I harvested and made a few jars yesterday Oct 25, and sometimes my neighbour makes fruit leather and juice.

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Viburnum opulus  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.