Trees Planet: Viburnum opulus

Friday, August 21, 2015

Viburnum opulus – Guelder Rose

General Information

Common Name	Guelder Rose, European Cranberry-bush
Scientific Name	*Viburnum opulus*
Sun Tolerance	Full Sun
Height	4 - 5 m (13-18 ft)
Spread	up to 3 m (up to 10 ft)
Growth Rate	Fast
Bloom Time	Spring
Color	Green,
Flower Color	White
Type	Shrub
Native	Asia, Europe, USA

Classification

Kingdom	Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision	Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division	Magnoliophyta - Flowering Plants
Class	Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons
Subclass	Asteridae
Order	Dipsacales
Family	Caprifoliaceae – Honeysuckle Family
Genus	Viburnum L. – Viburnum
Species	V. opulus

Viburnum opulus – Guelder Rose

Viburnum opulus commonly known as Guelder Rose also called Water Elder, Cramp Bark, Snowball Tree and European Cranberry-bush. It is native to Europe, North America Northern Africa and Central Asia. It is a deciduous shrubby tree rarely exceeding 4-5 m (13-18 ft) in height, delights the eye whenever adorned with its pretty clusters of curious white flowers or its very attractive scarlet translucent berries. It is common in the south of Britain, occasional in the Midlands but very rare further north.

The twigs and branches are quite smooth, and somewhat angular, greenish-grey at first, later reddish-brown. The winter buds are set oppositely, greenish-yellow, and wrapped in scales. The opposite young leaves are covered with down when they appear, but they discard this as they expand into their deeply toothed lobes, usually three or five in number, with a few small glands down the stalk and a few reddish-brown stipules at its base.

The attractive flower-head, opening in June has its individual flowers arranged as a flat-topped cyme, those in the outer circle being white and showy but sterile (without stamens or pistil) and those within being small, creamy white, bell-shaped and perfect –truly a curious but beautiful arrangement. The attractive flat clusters of scarlet translucent berries, nauseous to the taste, are often too heavy to be held up by their twigs, and branches become bent down under their weight. They ripen in autumn just as the leaves are fading to orange or russet tints. It is very attractive plant, so people like to plant it in their garden as ornamental plant.