American Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum)

Family: Adoxaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

A handsome cold-hardy native deciduous shrub reaching 8-12 feet with three-lobed maple-like leaves, flat-topped clusters of creamy white flowers, and drooping clusters of translucent scarlet berries that soften after autumn frost.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Sharp, musky, intensely tart and cranberry-like, with pleasant lingering acidity — Harvested after hard frost which mellows harsh bitterness into deep tartness; Cooked down and pressed through a fine sieve to remove the flat single internal stone; Simmered with honey or apple juice into brilliant ruby pectin-rich wild jellies; Blended into savory tart sauces pairing exceptionally with game meats and roasted tubers

Habitat & North American Range

Swamp margins, moist stream banks, thickets, wet woods, and bogs across northern North America. (Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6)