I just removed the worst of the aphids, I was not being fussy about trying to get them all. I had some stunted leaves for awhile but eventually the plant grew out of it and the aphids have mostly dissapeared. I am glad I have the two types of V. trilobum so I can have fruit next year (I hope)!!!!

I saw V. trilobum shrubs loaded with fruit as I was driving by a wooded section of a local road. It was at the edge of someones property, were woodsey shubs were planted to block the view of the houses. Couldn't stop but could recognize the leaves and fruit. Of course, I have no idea if it was the native or 'Wentworth'. It looked great. The cranberry brush Viburnums look amazing in fruit, and it wasn't even fully ripe yet so I know it gets redder!

I saw large native V. triblobum at the local nursery I stopped at end of last week all with nice fruit set. Then I saw many large 'Wentworth' at another nursery yesterday. Hopefully this is a prevue of the way my two cranberry bush Viburnums will look in following years. Can't wait!!!!!!

Mine are gorgeous when in fruit (now). And the show lasts, because the birds do not eat the berries until late winter or spring. I grow only the pure species but have 5 or 6 individuals. Tons of fruit. The colors are so gorgeous they look fake.

"Pure species"? Is 'Wentworth' somehow an impure Viburnum trilobum? Did Johnson Nursery do something wrong by planting out thousands of V. trilobum seeds and picking 'Redwing' for its superior attributes? They are all members of the species, one no more "pure" than another. I'd encourage people to try the various cultivars.

Whats the difference between the Viburnum trilobum, American Cranbery bush Viburnum, and the Viburnum opulus, European Cranbery bush Viburnum escept that one is native and one not??

I don't know what species mine is, but the birds do not seem to like the berries (which I think look yummy but haven't tasted myself :) It's a giant which I prune like crazy so I can still get to my back yard, and bears lots of fruit! I have seen the squirrel pick a bunch and eat them like grapes off the stem, but otherwise, they stay on till spring and get all stinky and rotten. This past spring, I couldn't handle the yucky smell and I clipped them all off and composted them. Wonder why the birds don't want them?

I haven't tasted them, but I have heard that v.opulus doesn't taste as good as as v.trilobum (for humans or for birds). Opulus is easier to find in nurseries, but I'd choose trilobum for wildlife. I'll admit that I don't have either one in my yard. Colonial Williamsburg is the only nursery around here that I've seen with trilobum; the regular nurseries have almost all non-native viburnums. Most of the opulus seem to have a smaller growth habit, if nursery tags are to be trusted. Oh well, I'm still shoppingfor the right ones.

There are a few minor differences, such as the shape of the leaves and whether or not the upper surface is strigose (bristly hairy on V. trilobum) but the main identifying characteristic is based on the petiole glands. These are small warty growths on the petiole (leaf stem) close to where it meets the base of the leaf. On V. opulus these will be distally depressed (be cuplike in shape), whereas on V. trilobum they will simply have rounded tips.

If that's too confusing, taste a berry and if it's rather tart and perhaps difficult to swallow but not all too disgusting, it's V. trilobum. If upon tasting the fruit you instantly start gagging and spit for about 10 minutes, it's V. opulus.

I like the taste test route, lycopus :oD. These wouldn't have any purgative or laxative properties, would they? And where in the continuum does the Asian relative V. sargentii land?

I sense Kevin starting a Culinary Viburnum and friends thread.

VV--funny you mention that. My 7 year old son and I went around to all the Viburnums for a taste test. We spit alot! If I remember right, the only ones worth swallowing were V. prunifolium and V. lantana 'Mohican'(or was it 'Allegheny'?). Either way, the blueberry bushes are much more attractive to my palate.

V. trilobum berries, I now know, remain on the plant until the next spring, when the cedar waxwings devour them. There have to be some "pantry" fruits that remain on the bushes until spring, or else birds would not survive until next year's seeds and insects are available.

Many thanks to lycopus!
I have never met ANYBODY - not even nursery people! - who could sort these two out!

lycopus- Thanks for the information on the differences between the two. I don't have any V. opulus so no taste test here (although it doen't sound like something I want to do!!!).

Funny that some places the V. Opulus is easier to find in local nurseries than the V. trilobum. Here there is not a V. opulus to be found at any local nursery and I have visited a lot of nurseries around here. Even the V. trilobum is only found in a few nurseries, not most of them.

I was going to ask if V. opulus and trilobum cross pollinate each other but I was re-reading this message thread (a very good one) and see that Kevin posted on Jan 16th that (and I quote)

"V. trilobum, V. opulus, V. sargentii, or V. orientale should all work for pollination."

That is very good as I am deffinately adding V. sargentii 'Onondaga' next spring and am now looking into V. opulus types that I might want. I have never heard of V. orientale or noticed it offered in any catalogs I can remember.

V.orientale is very rare. I have seen it two places, my yard and at the place I bought it, and will perhaps be seeing it at Viburnum Valley soon! It is the Asian version of V. opulus/trilobum. So far, it appears to have superior leaf quality, being thick, glossy, and still perfect at this time of year, in comparison to the mostly tattered, spotted leaves of the relatives. It fruits heavily as well. I am waiting on fall color. My plant originated from a mother plant that came from seed from the Shanghai Botanical Garden.

Well, then, what is V. sargentii? I thought that was the Asian version of V. opulus/trilobum ?????

Asia is a big place Rita. V. sargentii hails from northeast Asia, and V. orientale is native to Asia Minor and the Caucasus.

V. sargentii is rated hardier, to zone 3, while V. orientale is rated to zone 6. Look 'em up, and study the plants when you ultimately succumb to the desire to have one of each of all of them :')

Was back at the Nursery today that I saw the large burlapped 'Wentworth' Viburnums at in August. To my amazement all except one of the shrubs were gone. The one left was in a sorry state, no leaves on the shrub at all but still some gorgeous bright red berries.

I heard somewhere that the birds don't like the fruit of V. opulus as well as they do the fruit of V. trilobum. Don't know if thats true or not but someday will be able to do my own comparison as I mail ordered two V. opulus that I should get this week so when all my shrubs fruit, I will have the birds compair them!

Now, I have a great area in my yard that I was not going to do anything with next Spring but I am thinking of an alternate plan. For once, I don't have to dig anything out of where I want to plant, just cover up some grass with bagged leaves for mulch. Anyway, for those of you that have a 2003 Oikos Tree Crops Catalog, on the inside back cover there is a color picture of V. trilobum 'Flava' in fruit. It has yellow fruits! Of course, since they sell seedling, not clones,it saiz the fruit will vary from yellow to orange. They also have a 'Phillips' that has larger dark red fruit. And at $1.20 apiece if you go for the 25 lot, you can't beat the price. Oikos stuff is small but I was originially going to wait and plant nothing there until at least 2005 so if I plant even really small stuff (6 inches) then I still have at least a year for the small stuff to get bigger that it would not have been there growing and getting larger, if I am making any sence.

How far apart to plant 6 inch seedling V. trilobum shrubs to make a hedgerow effect? I want them to grow together and buying extra plants is no problem so want to put them as close together as will work for them.

Fortunately or unfortunatly, depending on how one looks at it, a really nice upscale local nursery started their half price on all shrubs and trees sale this weekend. I had seen some lovely 'Wentworth' Viburnum trilobum there earlier this summer. Those were both too large for me to manage and too much money. But in late September I did notice some nice three gallon 'Wentworths'. I wasn't going to pay ful price for them and decided that if there was still one around at half price time, I should get it. So today I picked up two shrubs for the normal price of one. These are nice 3 gallon 3-4 foot tall and very bushy. They only had three and one was just awful looking so I got the two nice ones. They don't have any berries on them but I figgure they are plenty large enough to bloom and set berries next year. I had wanted another 'Wentworth' and now I am set!

I've seen birds eat the berries when they first mature. I guess they don't know they are supposed to wait until winter.

I hope both my American and European Cranberry bush Viburnums come thru the winter all right. I temporarily planted them in the veggie garden until spring. But its been such a cold winter. Then of course I need them to pollinate each other assuming I even get blooms.

I do recall that V. trilobum first bloomed pretty quickly - mine at only about 2-1/2 ft tall. I suppose that a sunny exposition and good loamy + wet soil would help for this sp.
...But still those attractive red clumps have found no clients yet this winter, in spite of those awe-inspiring arctic cold spells we have also had...
Lots of Common Redpolls at the tistle feeder though!

Well, this past weekend I dug up, or really just needed to pop out, my two Wentworth V. trilobum that were Wintering in the veggie garden and put them in their permantent homes. I also moved the two V. opulus 'Xanthocarpum' from the winter homes in the veggie garden. They are now in a shrub grouping I have on the oposite side of my house from my ever increasing shrub border started last year.

Both the V. trilobum and V. opulus are starting to leaf out at what looks like the same rate so I hope they flower at the same time to set berries.

Hi! I have just ordered some seedlings (v.trilobum, gray dogwood, black elderberry) to replace haitat that was destroyed. I have absolutely no experience with v. trilobum. Does it self seed or propagate in any way?
Thanks
Allie

I think you need 2 to get berries same as elderberry. Sarah

No you don't need two to get berries (and the same goes with elderberries). But two of those V. trilobum coming from different seed sources will cross-polinate and give MORE berries, that's for sure.
V. trilobum propagates very easily by layering (a small branch bends to the ground then at some point takes root, that you can separate under the right conditions then transplant elsewhere), perhaps also by its own seeds, but the soil conditions must be the right ones I gather (a little acidic and quite wet). Make sure it has some sun too.

My V. trilobum 'Wentworth' are blooming now and one of my V. opulus is blooming at the same time also. So we will see if I get fruit. I sure do hope so.

Trilobum can be easily propagated from air layering, as described above. I am continually moving rooted pieces to new locations.

Mine is almost finished blooming. V. prunifolium was finished a week or so ago, and V. dentatum (arrowwood) is about to start.

Many of last's year's V. trilobum berries were uneaten, even in late winter and spring. It's a beautiful plant, however, and it's important to have something available for the end of the very worst winters (as 2002-3 was around here).

A totally unrelated (or maybe not) factoid--my V. trilobum are just about done flowering, and there seems to be much less fruit set than last year or the year before. With viburnums, you can see the swollen ovaries almost immediately after flowering, and I see very few, maybe just a couple per flower cluster, as opposed to full bunches for the past two years. Interesting--maybe viburnums have mast years like oaks and beeches. My single V. prunifolium seems to have set more fruit than in past years--not a lot, but definitely more. Too soon to tell for V. dentatum.

I wonder if the fruit set is directly related to how much fruit was left on the plant? Like, if you dead head flowers, they continue to produce. Not that I know enough about it to make this assumption, but I'm curious.

Hi,

Just discovered this thread. I just bought a large Viburnum 'Wentworth' at a sale for $30. I was tickled. It is about 4-5 ft high already. Very healthy looking. I couldn't find out from the nursery whether or not this variety has any color to the foliage in the fall. Can someone here tell me? I read somewhere from a Google search today that it turns purple in the fall. True?

I also wanted to know should I plant it in morning sun with afternoon shade or morning shade with afternoon su or full shade or full sun? How wide should I expect it to get. I believe it is supposed to get 10 ft high. Also, if I plant it next to a walkway, will it drop fruit that stain on the ground? Will I need another viburnum in order to get berries? Does it have to be the same kind or any kind of Vibrunum?

Also, I would like to add more Viburnums to my yard. I want to get one with large fragrant blossoms if I can. I want to get one that turns yellow/orange in the fall and one that turns red/purple/or orange in the fall. Also want berries and don't want a sterile one, although I just love the doublefile.

Last question..lol. Where are you all referring to ordering viburnum bushes?

NewYorkrita, what is this about Viburnums for $1.20 apiece? LOL Can you explain whether you order seedlings from a company, and if so, how old and how large are they when you get them? Do you have to buy 25 at once? If so, do you actually have room for all those? Is the company good and is the material healthy? Do you plant them in pots until they get bigger? Do you do that with other trees and shrubs?

Thanks,
Adam

The 1.20 apiece referred to last years price for Viburnum trilobum seedlings at Oikos Tree Crops for quantities of 25 and up. Yes, you have to buy them all at once and they are small. 3-4 inches, I think. This years prices are higher at Oikos. I never did buy them and have decided not too because I now have 4 Viburnum trilobum and thats enough for me.

Adam: Check out this website. Rita recommended it to me last year. I have been raving about them this year on here. You have to buy 10 minimum of whatever you order. The exception would be a package like Wildlife Package or dogwood package where you buy one of each type of dogwood (they actually sent 5 of each). I bought a lot of shrubs from them (in excess of 150) and they were pretty good size for state extension service shrubs. Some were small like the serviceberries which were about 8-10" or the elderberries which were sticks with some little leaf buds (they had decent roots though). The v. cassinoides were the largest at about 10" by 10". They are now as big as the ones that I paid $22 from N.E. Wildlife Society last fall. Most (including the elders and the serviceberries) are now growing like weeds and are quite healthy. I also ordered various other shrubs from a couple of other mail order places and none can compare to the stuff I got from NH Nursery. The best part is that I paid about $1 per shrub for them. I will definitely reorder next year. I thought 10 was going to be a lot, but I'm happy I got that many as the rabbits have eaten a couple of serviceberries already. I have a rather large lot and will just keep expanding my border and adding new ones to cut down on the amount of lawn I have.

As for the answers to your other questions, my understanding of viburnums is that you don't absolutely need another to pollinate (as you would with holly), but you will increase the fruit with another type that blooms at the same time to cross pollinate. Personally, I don't think I'd put a fruiting tree or shrub near a walkway. I've even tried to keep them a bit away from the house because I don't want the siding to be stained. I think I remember the trilobum leaves turning colors in the fall, but maybe someone with more experience will post an answer or you may consider posting a new thread with these questions. Several experts read and post here and should be able to answer your questions, but may not find this post buried in the old thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: NH Nursery

I have some fruit on two of my Wentworth Viburnum trilobum even though I only had one flower cluster of my V. opulus to pollinate them. Hope to do better next year. The berries are very attractive looking though, even if they are not ripe yet. The yellow berries on the V. opulus are quite eye catching also.

Just watched a mockingbird feasting on V. trilobum berries right now, when they're fresh, ripe, and abundant, and lots of other fruits are also available. Guess he didn't read this thread.

That's encouraging Elaine. I'm sure the mockingbird wasn't eating the trilobum berries as a last resort in YOUR yard since you have planted so many different shrubs for wildlife. It's nice to hear when something so ornamental is good for wildlife too.

I would be interested in knowing if anyone has used the highbush cranberry in a hedge. I would like to keep it 8 feet high or less, but the width is my concern. If I plant it like a maze, how far apart in the rows, and in the alleys, do I have to plant it. I would like the finished alleys to be about 4 feet wide for walking.

Dennis, I have heard that they sucker. From what I have seen, the branches grow low along the ground. I'm guessing they root there, so I bet the do end up as a wide thicket. I know that I asked the question a year ago. You may want to search it up. I believe mine are staggered in rows about 4 feet apart, but I'm trying to get a clump. Hopefully that is close enough.

My V trilobums have been stripped of berries already (birds and squirrels don't have internet access). Unfortunately I have too many deer for most shrubbery to survive.

Dennis, My 20 year old trilobums (never pruned (except by deer)) are about 12' high and just as wide. They haven't sent up suckers that I've seen ( deer again - most likely although I do also have a groundhog problem).

Maybe I'm using the term sucker incorrectly. I notice that the edge branches hang down low to the ground and root.

Vonyon,

I planted my 3 V trilobums about 15 years ago, and have never noticed either suckers or tip layering, But this is most likely due to browsing by the deer(and/or groundhogs), the branch tips have always been above the ground and haven't had a chance to form roots. I think that the branch tips would form new bushes (because they are easy to propagate from cuttings).

Dad

Any branch that gets covered in mulch roots so its easy to get new plants. I had to move one of my 'Wentworths' this spring and I had many new starts around it.

All my "Wentworths' have some blooms this spring (not open yet) and so does my species V. trilobum. Plus as a bonus my V. opulus are going to bloom too. I should get great berry set this year!

Amazing reading this 3-year thread!..I just bought a v. trilobum (compacta) from Home Depot..all viburnums on sale. Mine is 3-ft tall and healthy with a slight red blush to a few of the leaves..I may not get flowers/berries this year, but I'm told it looks nice in the fall..Hope so!

This year I am getting the best fruit set on my Wentworths and also on my V. opulus this year. The fruit on Wentworth is starting to get a red blush to the green on some of the clusters so you know its starting to ripen. Plus my V. opulus have really filled in and just look spectacular this year after flowering most heavily finially thios spring. It does take time but I am pleased with the way all the shrubs in the yard bird habitat are coming along.

Wentworth is at least 8 feet tall!

another valuable viburnum thread

Wow what a great thread. I just purchased three red wing this year and thought they would pollinate each other but i think i read i need V. opulus or a different shrub now to pollinate? Hope i have room for all of them. LOL.~~~~~Bonnie

I purchased what was labeled as an American Cranberry Bush from Home Depot this past spring after the late freeze. It looked healthy and was on sale for $6.00. The picture looked really pretty and the information said birds love the berries. I was not surprised it did not flower after planting but am hoping it does next spring. Reading through this thread makes me wonder if the cranberry bush needs a pollinator? I am sure someone here can answer that question for me. We are having very hot/dry weather here in TN and even though I believe I am keeping it well watered some of the "older" leaves are turning a "reddish" color. The planting directions said full sun. Does this plant really do well in full sun?

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

I have two of these bushes that I need to plant this fall. I've got two spots in the yard-- one is on the southwest, somewhat warm and dry corner of the house, which gets sun most of the day. The other spot is in the boggy, semi-shaded back corner of the yard (truly-- if you dig down there's peat, and it stays pretty moist all year). Any thoughts on whether the plant's adaptable enough for either spot, or if one would be better?

I sure do remember this old thread. Lots of time has gone by and my Wentworth Vivurnums have grown large and fruit heavily each year now. In fact my entire plant fruiting shrubs to attract backyard songbirds plan has done very well. And the shrub border looks great too.

There is a hedge of Viburnum's near me. Between that shrub row and the mature holly trees, the mockingbirds seem pretty happy. I see them going back and forth between the shrubs and trees all day long.