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Viburnum opulus

guelder rose

© RHS 2002
Sold by 48 nurseries

  • Other common names guelder rose
    crampbark

    cranberry
    dog eller
    dog rowan
    European cranberry bush
    European cranberry tree
    gatten
    gatten tree
    marsh alder
    ople tree
    red elder
    rose elder
    snowball tree
    water elder
    whitten tree

    see more

  • Family Adoxaceae

  • Genus Viburnum can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with opposite, simple or palmately lobed leaves and clusters of small, often fragrant white or pink flowers, followed by red, blue or black berries

  • Details V. opulus is an upright deciduous shrub to 5m, with maple-like, palmately lobed leaves which turn pink or red in autumn, and flat clusters of small white flowers surrounded by larger sterile flowers, and followed by translucent red berries

  • Plant range Eurasia N W Africa

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Toxicity The fruit can cause a mild stomach upset if ingested

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H6

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Shade

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect North-facing or West-facing or South-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Sand

    Sand

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoistureWell-drained, Moist but well-drained

  • SoilSand, Chalk, Clay, Loam

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 4-8 metres

  • Ultimate spread 2.5-4 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 10-20 years

How to grow

Cultivation Suitable for shrub border or woodland garen. Grow in any moist but well-drained soil

Propagation Propagate by seed, softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types Low Maintenance Hedging & Screens Wildlife Gardens Coastal

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 8

Pests Aphids and viburnum beetle may be a problem

Diseases May be affected by a leaf spot

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