Viburnum trilobum

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Viburnum trilobum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Adoxaceae
Genus: Viburnum
Species:
V. trilobum
Binomial name
Viburnum trilobum
Natural range of Viburnum trilobum

Viburnum trilobum (cranberrybush viburnum, American cranberrybush, high bush cranberry, or highbush cranberry) is a species of

variety of it, as Viburnum opulus L. var. americanum Ait., or as a subspecies, Viburnum opulus
subsp. trilobum (Marshall) Clausen.

Fall foliage - Viburnum trilobum
Detail of the inflorescence

Description

It is a

pollinated by insects. The fruit is an oblong red drupe 15 mm (0.59 in) long and 12 mm (0.47 in) broad, containing a single flat, white seed
. Plants begin to produce fruit at approximately five years of age; when animals, including birds, eat the fruits, they deposit the seeds in another location in their droppings.

Uses

Although often called "highbush cranberry", it is not a cranberry. The name comes from the red fruits which look superficially like cranberries, and have a similar flavor and ripen at the same time of year. After removing the large seeds,[3] the fruits, sour and rich in vitamin C, can be eaten raw or cooked into a sauce to serve with meat or game.[4]

Pests and diseases

The larvae and adults of the

viburnum leaf beetle feed on the leaves and may completely defoliate the plant. Repeated damage can kill the plant.[4]

In culture

This is a commonly used berry in western Canadian cultures. Peoples of various origins both Native and European have used the berries for many years.

The Canadian French name for the berries is pembina. The name pembina was then applied to three rivers, one in Manitoba and North Dakota, one in Ontario, and one in Alberta.

Medicinal

Viburnum trilobum is used interchangeably with V. opulus under the common name Cramp Bark. As the common name suggests the bark is used to treat uterine cramps as well as dysmenorrhea, PMS, cramps of other smooth muscles including intestines, and some symptoms of miscarriage. Its antispasmodic qualities are often attributed to the presence of valerenic acid.

References

  1. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Viburnum opulus var. americanum". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
  2. ^ Nellessen, James E. (8 May 2006). "Viburnum opulus L. var. americanum (Mill.) Ait. (American cranberrybush): A Technical Conservation Assessment" (PDF). USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  3. OCLC 244766414
    .
  4. ^ a b "Highbush Cranberry". University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Retrieved 2010-03-13.

External links

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