Compact Cranberrybush

The Compact Cranberrybush is a small to medium-sized deciduous shrub growing no more than 6 feet tall. It has lobed leaves a little like a maple, that turn from mid-green to glowing purple-red in fall. Early summer brings 3-inch clusters of white flowers like small lace-cap hydrangeas, which transform into clusters of glossy, scarlet-red translucent berries that make a great display in late summer through fall. The berries are edible, and eaten by songbirds, but they also can be used in relishes and jams like the American cranberrybush.

• Garlands of white lace-cap flowers in early summer
• Fabulous display of glossy, scarlet-red berries in fall
• Reliably self-fertile, so even one bush crops well
• Excellent fall colors of purple-red
• Easily-grown basic shrub for every garden

Full sun gives the best crops of flowers and berries on the Compact Cranberrybush, but it’s happy growing with a few hours of shade. It grows in just about any well-drained soil, and also in wetter ground. Avoid very dry and hot soils. It is generally free of serious pests or diseases in most parts of the country, and needs little attention to grow well. If you need to prune, do it in winter or early spring, but trimming isn’t normally needed beyond removing any dead branches.