Viburnum cassinoides

Northern wild raisin, Withe rod, Nannyberry, Apalachian false paraguay tea

Adoxaceae Edible: Fruit, Leaves - tea 15,121 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Viburnum cassinoides, commonly known as northern wild raisin, blue haw, witherod viburnum, or swamp haw, is a deciduous shrub native to eastern North America in the viburnum family, Viburnaceae (also referred to as Adoxaceae). It is often synonymized with Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides.

Description

A shrub. It grows 3.5 m tall and spreads 3 m wide. It loses its leaves during the year. The new growth is bronze colour. The leaves turn red in autumn. The leaves are thick and oval. They are dull green and have fine teeth. The flowers are white or yellow. The fruit are deep blue or black.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. The flesh is scant but sweet and well flavoured, and the fruit hangs on the plant well into winter. Each oval fruit is about 10mm long and contains a single large seed. The leaves also make a pleasant-tasting tea substitute: steam them over boiling water, roll between the fingers, leave overnight, then dry in an oven until ready to use.

Traditional Uses

The fruit can be eaten. The dried leaves can be used to make tea. They are steamed then rolled between the fingers and allowed to stand overnight then dried in an oven.

Medicinal Uses

The bark and root bark are antispasmodic, diaphoretic, febrifuge, and tonic. An infusion has been used to treat recurrent spasms, fevers, smallpox, and ague, and can also be applied as a wash for a sore tongue.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 2-6. Arboretum Tasmania.

Where It Grows

Australia, North America, Tasmania, USA,

Cultivation

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but is ill-adapted for poor soils and for dry situations. It dislikes chalk, growing best on lime-free soils. Prefers a deep rich loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Best if given shade from the early morning sun in the spring. This species is closely allied to V. nudum. Plants are self-incompatible and need to grow close to a genetically distinct plant in the same species in order to produce fertile seed. There is at least one named variety, selected for its ornamental value. 'Nanum' has a dwarf habit and the leaves have a rich autumn colouring.

Propagation

Sow seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Germination can be slow, sometimes exceeding 18 months. Seed harvested green — fully developed but not yet fully ripe — and sown immediately in a cold frame should germinate the following spring. Stored seed needs 2 months of warm stratification followed by 3 months cold, and may still take 18 months to germinate. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough and grow on in a cold frame or greenhouse, planting out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Take softwood cuttings in early summer in a frame; pot individually once rooting begins and plant out the following late spring or early summer. Take half-ripe cuttings 5–8 cm long with a heel if possible in July or August in a frame; pot individually as soon as rooting starts — these can be difficult to overwinter and are best kept under glass until the following spring before planting out. Take mature wood cuttings in winter in a frame; they should root in early spring — pot when large enough and plant out in summer if sufficient new growth has been made, otherwise overwinter in a cold frame and plant out the following spring. Layer current season's growth in July or August; takes 15 months.

Other Uses

None known

Notes

There are about 150 Viburnum species. Also put in the family Caprifoliaceae.

Synonyms

V. nudum cassinoides. (L.)Torr.&Gray.

References (5)

Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1466
Elias, T.S. & Dykeman P.A., 1990, Edible Wild Plants. A North American Field guide. Sterling, New York p 227
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 72
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Sp. pl. ed. 2, 1:384. 1762