Viburnum opulus var. americanum
Common name: 
American Cranberrybush Viburnum
Pronunciation: 
vi-BER-num OP-u-lus a-mer-i-KAH-num
Family: 
Adoxaceae, Caprifoliaceae
Genus: 
Synonyms: 
Viburnum trilobum
V. opulus subsp. trilobum
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf deciduous shrub, 8-12 ft (2.1-3.5 m) high with a similar spread, upright, spreading, round topped, arching branches.  Leaves simple, opposite, 3-lobed, 5-14 cm long, base rounded or truncate, lobes acuminate, sometimes middle lobe elongated, margin coarsely toothed, dark green above, soft hairs on veins below, petiole 13-25 mm long, with shallow grove, usually with sticky glands.  Fall color ranges from yellow to red-purple.  Flowers white, in 10 cm flat-topped clusters (cymes), those in the outer ring are 2 cm across, showy and sterile; the inner ones are inconspicuous, with yellow anthers.   Fruit is 9 mm diam, scarlet red in fall.  (Similar to V. opulus var. opulus)
  • Sun to part shade, best in good, well-drained, moist soil.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 2      Native range from New Brunswick to British Columbia, south to New York, Michigan, South Dakota and Wyoming.
  • At one time the American Cranberrybush Viburnum was knows as Viburnum trilobum.  It is now considered a variety (varietas, var.) of Viburnum opulus, the European Cranberry Viburnum (syn. Viburnum opulus var. opulus) and designated Viburnum opulus var. americanum.  The two varieties can easily be confused.  Here are a few differences.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: northeast corner of parking lot across from McNary dorm. on Jefferson (compare to adjacent Viburnum opulus).
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    plant habit, spring flowering

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    leaves and flower clusters

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    flower cluster and leaves

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    leafy shoot

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    leafy shoot, comparison

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    leaves, comparison

  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

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    immature fruit and leaves

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    mature fruit and leaves

  • plant habit and leaf, fall

    plant habit and leaf, fall

  • twigs and buds, winter

    twigs and buds, winter