Native Plant Alternatives to Viburnum opulus (European Cranberrybush)

Viburnum opulus, commonly known as guelder rose, European cranberry bush, or snowball tree, is native to Europe, northern Africa, and northern Asia. It has been widely cultivated as an ornamental plant for its attractive flowers and fall color.

In some regions, notably parts of the northeastern and northwestern United States and Canada, Viburnum opulus (specifically the variety Viburnum opulus var. opulus) has escaped cultivation and become naturalized, sometimes spreading aggressively in natural areas.

Viburnum opulus can spread in part due to its appeal to birds, which eat its berries and then disperse its seeds. It can grow in a variety of conditions and can form dense thickets that may potentially outcompete native vegetation.

European Cranberrybush is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.

According to the U.S Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it occurs naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits to growing native plants. First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers and pesticides or use less water. Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats. Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.