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Viburnum trilobum (Highbush Cranberry Viburnum)

Viburnum trilobum (Highbush Cranberry Viburnum)

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American highbush cranberry favors moist ground and cool to moderately warm summers. Organic matter helps retain the moisture needed by its several upright trunks and branches.

For Viburnum trilobum, choose full sun to light shade and wet to moist soil. Recorded habitats include cool moist woods; Wooded streambanks; Sandy swamps; Wet thickets; Sandy marsh edges; Forested bogs. Reported height: 8–12 ft.

Leave room for the mature branches beside paths and nearby plantings. Growth habit: multiple slender trunks with ascending to slightly spreading branches. Root structure: branching woody roots.

Plant specifications

Key growing facts

Sunlight Full sun to light shade
Soil moisture Wet to moist
Height 8–12 ft
Bloom season Late spring to early summer
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
Growth habit Multiple slender trunks with ascending to slightly spreading branches
Root form Branching woody roots
Soil pH Acidic soil category listed by Extension; numerical tolerance limits are not established
Cultivation hardiness zones Zones 2a–7b (general cultivation guidance)

Plant identification & seed reference

Botanical name Viburnum trilobum
Other common names american cranberry bush; Cranberry Viburnum
Plant family Adoxaceae
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associatesNo verified list yet

A species-level list has not yet been verified for this listing.

Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value

State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.

Wetland indicator — Corps Chicago 2017 table FAC
C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 10
Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 Yes
Native range — U.S. states Connecticut; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Maine; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Montana; Nebraska; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Dakota; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Dakota; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming
County nativity Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity.
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlifeNo verified list yet

No additional named relationships have been verified for this listing.

Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions

What are the ideal growing conditions for Highbush Cranberry Viburnum?
Light: Full sun to light shade. Soil moisture: Wet to moist.

Is Highbush Cranberry Viburnum deer and herbivore resistant?
Species-specific deer resistance has not been verified here. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.

When should I expect Highbush Cranberry Viburnum to bloom?
Typical flowering period: Late spring to early summer. Timing varies with location and weather.

Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes

Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; USACE Chicago FQA (2017); Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online.

Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.

Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.

Research notes & credits

USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication.

Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.

Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.

Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.

This plant is a large attractive hardy shrub with big white flower clusters in late May. Viburnum trilobum (Highbush Cranberry Viburnum) abundant attractive scarlet berries, which hang on into winter and provide food for birds and wildlife. Luscious dark green foliage changes to yellow through red-purple in fall.

  • Flower Color White
  • Flower Time May, June

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