| PSC 2620: Woody Trees and Shrub | Course Home | Week 2 |
Viburnum trilobum - American Cranberrybush Viburnum
Plant Viewer
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| Corymbs of showy white blossoms surround less-showy inner blossoms. | The leaves are deeply lobed and tend to be more elongated than V. opulus. |
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| New leaves have bronze highlights, especially in the popular commercial cultivars. |
Plant Description
Viburnum trilobum is a medium to large deciduous (8-12 feet tall and wide) shrub with a rounded and compact form. The branching habit is upright very dense, creating an impenetrable shrub. It is very similar in appearance and form to V. opulus except that it is usually slightly smaller. It is not picky about its soil or pH, but performs best when in moist, well-drained soil. Plant in full sun to part shade, though I have seen beautiful specimens in deep shade.
The green leaves are 3-5 inches long and 2.5-4 inches wide. They have three distinct lobes, with the central lobe composing half the leaf or more, and are finely serrated along the leaf margin. They are arranged opposite of each other on the stem. In fall the leaves turn a mixture of reds and purple.
White flowers appear in rounded corymbs with showy white flowers forming a ring around a larger cluster of inconspicuous smaller white flowers. Bright red berries appear in late summer and persist through the fall.
Landscape Use
Viburnum trilobum is very popular for use in hedges and borders. Its blossoms, fruit and good fall color also make it a suitable selection as an accent plant. It is also attractive to birds and other wildlife.
Points of interest
The fruit is edible.
Notable Cultivars
Bailey Compact: A good compact form (6 feet tall and wide) and an industry standard. The leaves are lighter shade of green and it turns a deep red in the fall. Flower and fruit production is fair, but not as consistent as the regular species.
Alfredo: A compact form (6 feet tall and wide) with good red fall color. Extremely similar to Bailey Compact. Branching is a little more dense and fruit production is more consistent.