Cranberry Viburnum
Scientific Name: Viburnum trilobum
Common Names: highbush‑cranberry, cranberry‑bush
Family: Adoxaceae
Native Range: across much of Canada and northern United States
Typical: deciduous shrub
Maximum recorded heights:
Trunk Diameter
Average:
Maximum:
Growth Rate: (Slow Medium Fast):
Lifespan:
Typical Lifespan:
Record Age:
Seed Maturity (age at which it starts producing viable seeds):
Reproductive Cycle (how often it produces seeds..e.g., every 2‑3 years):
Soil Preferences (preferred soil type..e.g., sandy loam, well‑drained):
Water Needs (moisture requirements..e.g., drought tolerance):
Canadian & USDA Hardiness Zones: CA2; USDA ~2–7
Bark:
Young trees:
Mature Trees:
Needles (or Leaves)
Number per bundle:
Length: 5–11 cm
Shape: 3‑lobed, broadly maple‑like
Colour: green foliage turning fall colours
Cones:
Size:
Shape:
Scales:
Color:
Seeds:
Size:
Dispersal: animals/birds
Growth Form
Shape: upright, multi‑stemmed shrub
Height:
Reproductive Features
Flowers: in large flat‑topped terminal clusters; outer flowers white, showy, sterile; inner flowers functional
Male:
Female:
Pollination: insect pollinated
Seed Maturity:
Unique Features: lobed leaves with club‑shaped glands at petiole base; showy sterile outer flowers
Fire Resistance: Rating (low, medium, high):
Fire Regeneration: Ability to regenerate post‑fire:
Shade Tolerance: How well it grows in shaded conditions:
Strength Rating: (Wood durability and load‑bearing properties):
Decay Resistance: How resistant the wood is to rot and fungi:
Pest/Disease Resistance: Vulnerability to pests:
Climate Adaptability: Ability to withstand extreme temperatures or changes:
Uses:
Timber (construction, furniture, etc):
Non‑timber products (e.g., resin, wildlife habitats): edible fruits; ornamental planting
Ecological Role:
Importance for wildlife (e.g., food for squirrels, birds): fruits eaten by birds and mammals
Role in forest ecosystems (e.g., stabilizing soil, providing canopy): understory shrub, wildlife food plant
Cultural Significance:
Historical Use: fruits used traditionally for preserves and food
Threats: (Current conservation concerns or invasive threats):
Governmental Sources
Canada – Species profiles / plant fact sheets (Canada.ca / Species at Risk / Forest Service profile pages)
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry – Shrub species and range descriptions
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service – Plant Database (PLANTS)