European hedgerow shrub with white lace-cap flowers in spring and clusters of bright red translucent berries in autumn. Bark ("crampbark") is a traditional antispasmodic.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 3–8 | −40 °C to −6.7 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H7 | down to −20 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 3–8 | −34 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 1–4 | −15 °C to 5 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
About Guelder rose
The guelder rose is not a rose at all but a viburnum, and its flat flowerheads show a division of labour common in the family: a ring of large, showy, entirely sterile flowers surrounds a centre of small fertile ones, the outer ring acting purely as advertising to pollinators. The snowball tree grown in gardens is a form in which all the flowers have become sterile and showy, so it sets no fruit at all. The translucent red berries persist well into winter and are an important late food source for birds.
Growing notes
- Excellent wildlife shrub — flowers for pollinators, berries for birds, dense growth for nesting
- Berries are mildly toxic raw and best left to the birds
- Always consult a qualified medical or herbal practitioner before using any plant medicinally
Categories
Related plants
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