PlantsFruits & Berries
American Highbush Cranberry
Viburnum opulus var. americanum
Chicago-region native. Suited to zone 6a.
Native fruiting viburnum and hedge
AdvancedFruits & BerriesAlso Shrubs & VinesAlso Rain GardenEdibleRain garden
- Light
- Full sun–part shade
- Moisture
- Medium–moist
- Mature size
- 6–10 ft
- Spacing
- 6–10 ft
- Bloom or harvest
- Flowers May–Jun; fruit Sep–winter
- How it spreads
- Upright shrub
- What to buy
- Container or balled-and-burlapped; bare-root in early spring.
- When to plant
- Early Apr–May after soil thaws and drains; Sep–mid Oct for container/B&B. Bare-root: early spring.
In the design
Better fruiting with another compatible viburnum nearby.
If you eat it
Tart fruit cooked into sauces or preserves
Buy the native American variety; European forms are different
Only eat what you planted and can name. This is not a foraging or medical guide.
