Connecticut Plants
Highbush Cranberry (Cranberry Viburnum)
Viburnum opulus L.

Highbush cranberry is not related to true cranberries; the name comes from its tart, edible red fruits. The showy outer flowers are sterile.

  • Synonyms: Viburnum trilobum
  • Family: muskroot (Adoxaceae)
  • Habitat: moist woods
  • Height: 3 to 10 feet
  • Flower size: flowerheads up to 5 inches across
  • Flower color: white
  • Flowering time: May to July
  • Origin: Connecticut has both a native subspecies (Viburnum opulus ssp. trilobum) and a European subspecies (Viburnum opulus ssp. opulus)
Viburnum opulus L. var. americanum Ait.