Guelder rose - Viburnum opulus
- The Foraging Course Company
- Sep 6
- 2 min read
Edible (when cooked) plant - novice Season - flowers summer, fruit autumn Common names Guelder rose, cramp bark, European cranberry, cranberry bush, European highbush cranberry
Scientific name meaning: Viburnum is Latin for a type of shrub, most likely Viburnum lantana, which is related to guelder rose. Opulus is Latin for a type of maple and a reference to the leaf shape of this shrub
Habitat  Guelder rose can be found in hedgerows, woodlands, scrub, wasteground, parks and gardens. It is a native of the UK. |
Overall structure  Reaching up to 4m tall, guelder rose is a shrub with an untidy, sprawling growth habit. It is deciduous. |
Leaves  The leaves are green and turn orange-red then red in autumn. They are palmately-lobed with three sharp-toothed lobes. They are 5-8cm and hairless on top and downy underneath. |
Stem/trunk  The bark is grey-brown and smooth. The twigs are also grey in colour and angled. |
Flower  The white flowered heads are arranged in cymes but give the appearance of an umbel. The flowers on the outer part of the flowerhead are sterile, 15-20mm in diameter, have five petals and no reproductive parts. The inner flowers are much smaller are 6mm in diameter, have five petals and visible reproductive parts. |
Fruit  The ripe fruit is red and has an almost glass-bead like appearance due to their glossiness. They can reach up to 8mm in diameter. |
Possible lookalikes  Could be confused with rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), pictured right. Rowan is also edible when cooked. However, it's leaves are pinnately compound and the berries are not glossy like those of guelder rose. |
Use as a food The fruit must be cooked before being eaten Hazards Only the fruit is edible and must be cooked before consumption. The fruit is poisonous raw due to the presence of hydrocyanic acid, which is reduced when cooked
Use in herbal medicine and medicine Has been used in the treatment of cramps, asthma, colic, menstrual pain and nervous conditions, and as an emetic and laxative, as well as to prevent miscarriage
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner Other uses Red dyes can be made from the fruit Importance to other species Provides a valuable nectar source for pollinators, and abundant food source for birds. It attracts aphids, which benefits ladybirds, and is also the food plant of the viburnum beetle, privet hawkmoth and common quaker moth.
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
Comments