Wentworth American Cranberry Viburnum

Often called highbush cranberry, America’s Viburnum does have edible fruits, although it isn’t the cranberry grown commercially. It is however a magnificent 3-season garden shrub that’s easy to grow, full of interest and a great plant by any standards. Spring brings a profusion of handsome white flowers, followed by a glowing crop of bright red berries in late summer. If you don’t turn them into relish, birds like cardinals and thrushes will love them. By fall the lobed leaves turn magnificent shades of red, challenging any plant to do better as a fall highlight. Great background shrub, reaching around 10 feet tall and 7 feet wide. Easy to grow and free of the nasty pests many exotic species attract, this should be one of your first shrub purchases, as you build a colorful and varied garden of easy-care shrubs. Link

• Great spring display of white flower heads
• A profusion of shiny red berries, edible for us, and loved by birds
• Handsome three-lobed leaves turn magnificent reds in fall
• Cold hardy into the coldest parts of the country
• Easy to grow and a native plant

Full sun will give you the best fall colors and the biggest berry crop on your Wentworth American Viburnums, but it grows well in partial shade too. Although growing best in moist but well-drained places, it is happy in most garden situations, and is tolerant of ordinary periods of summer drought. Ridiculously cold-hardy, it grows well in zone 3 and all the way into zone 8. Without any significant pests or diseases, you don’t even need to prune regularly, but taking out a few of the oldest stems low-down will keep it vigorous and attractive.