Viburnum, High Bush Cranberry

American Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum)

A cool-climate shrub with white flower clusters and bright red fruit. This is American cranberrybush, also called Viburnum opulus var. americanum, rather than a low-growing bog cranberry.

Key Characteristics

A fruit for sauces and preserves

The red drupes are tart, with a distinctive flavor that varies among seedlings. Cook into sauce or jelly and remove seeds during processing.

A food reserve birds may leave for later

Cedar waxwings, robins, and grouse use the fruit. Clusters may remain until repeated freezing and thawing make them more attractive to birds.

Self-Fruitful, with Room for a Group

American highbush cranberry can set fruit by itself; a second plant is not required. A group of genetically different seedlings can add diversity to a fruiting hedge. The large outer flowers are showy, while the small inner flowers are the fertile part of each cluster.

Product Details

• Native range: Northern North America
• Life cycle: Deciduous woody perennial
• Sun: Full Sun; Part Sun/Shade
• Soil moisture: Medium; Medium-Wet
• Mature height: About 8–12 feet, occasionally reaching 15 feet
• Bloom: May–June locally; timing varies with climate
• Bloom color: White
• USDA hardiness zones: 2–7
• Fruit or seed: Tart red drupes used for sauces and jelly; a viburnum, not a true cranberry.
• Pollination: Self-fruitful; a second plant is optional. For a mixed fruiting hedge, use genetically different American highbush cranberry plants with overlapping bloom.

Cool Sites and Correct Identification

This northern native is a better fit for cool mountain gardens than hot, humid lowlands. Its edible American form differs from the similar European cranberrybush; use the scientific name and leaf-stalk glands when identifying established plants. Fruit flavor varies, and ripe red fruit is usually most useful cooked into sauce or jelly.

For an optional second plant, see our bare-root American highbush cranberry seedlings. Independent seedlings can differ genetically even though they share the same common name.

Planting and Ongoing Care

Water the container root ball before planting, water the root zone during establishment, and mulch without covering the crown. Base fertilizer decisions on a soil test.

Monitor for viburnum leaf beetle, aphids, and leaf spots. Thin crowded stems and protect flowers from insecticide exposure. Avoid insecticides on open flowers. Growth, flowering, and fruiting vary with the individual plant and site.