Seasonal Wild Flowers

Guelder Rose

Viburnum opulus

Adoxaceae

May to July

It is found throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Guelder Rose

It is widely planted in parks, gardens and amenity areas.

It is a shrub of woodland, scrub and hedges, damp alder

and willow thickets, and the banks of streams.

Guelder Rose is a native, deciduous shrub (small tree)

growing up to 4m.

The flat, roundish, ice crystal-shaped, flowerhead is up to

10cm across.

The outer flowers are 1.5 to 2cm across and sterile with

5 white petals.

Inner flowers are up to 6mm across, fertile with 5 small,

white petals.

There are 5 white stamens and 3 short stigmas.

Leaves are up to 8cm long with irregular dentate lobes.

They turn red in autumn.

Guelder Rose in flower, Lancaster

Guelder Rose flowers and leaves

Flowerhead

Outer sterile, inner fertile flowers

Gulder Rose berries in August

Close-up of berries

Leaves