American Cranberrybush Plant

Facts about American Cranberrybush shrub. "Scientific name for American Cranberrybush plant is Viburnum trilobum. It is a species of Viburnum that is commonly found in the northern part of North America in areas such as British Columbia, Newfoundland and Washington. Many researchers have closely associated the American Cranberrybush plant to the Asian and European Viburnum opulus.

Description of the American Cranberrybush shrub

American Cranberrybush shrub is deciduous and grows to a height of 13 feet (4 meters). It has a gray bark that is rough and scaly giving it a slightly rugged texture. The stems are in an arch shape and are usually dense with twigs that are reddish-brown in color.

Foliage of the American Cranberrybush plant

The leaves are arranged in an opposite fashion with three lobes each. The American Cranberrybush shrub measure around 2 1/4 to 4 3/4 inches (6 to 12 cm) in length and 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) in breadth. Their margins are serrated and their base is rounded making them superficially similar to maple leaves. The leaf venation coupled with the wrinkled leaf surface makes it easily distinguishable. The leaf buds are green in color and the bud scales have a valvate pattern.

Flowers and Fruits of the American Cranberrybush plant

The flowers produced by the American Cranberrybush shrub are white in color and measure approximately (13 cm) in diameter. The flowers come with conspicuous petals organized in a corymb. The American Cranberrybush shrub are pollinated by insects resulting into an oblong fruit which measures 15 mm in length and 12 mm in breadth. Each fruit contain a single white seed. The plant starts producing the fruits at about 5 years of age. The dispersion of the American Cranberrybush shrub seeds happens through the droppings of animals that eat the fruits.

Uses of the American Cranberrybush shrub

The fruits of this shrub are rich in vitamin C. They can be eaten in a raw form or cooked in sauce and served with game or meat. The leaves are usually infested by the Viburnum leaf beetle which completely defoliates the American Cranberrybush shrub and in extreme cases, the pests may even kill the plant.