The trick for smaller yards is to choose a compact variety that stays naturally small – requiring no maintenance on your part helps too! Try the Bailey Compact American Cranberrybush Viburnum (Viburnum trilobum ‘Bailey Compact’) if you want to have these wonderful details in a smaller space. It stays petite and well-branched, growing into a sweetly rounded ball!
One of the very best accent shrubs available on the market is Cranberrybush Viburnum. With their trident-shaped leaves, these attractive plants put on a big show each year. In spring, you’ll be so pleased to watch the new leaves unfurl with a showy red edge. Once your bush is established in your soil, you’ll also enjoy pure white flowers that are held in clusters above the foliage.
Each bloom has overlapping petals, for a cute little pinwheel effect. Butterflies adore these special lacecap flowers, and you will, too. The green foliage is densely held all the way to the bottom of each stem. No ‘leggy’ bare stems requiring facer plants are required either. Of course, it’s the fall color display that people rave about. With its well-balanced branch structure and fantastic seasonal details, this is an exceptional choice that you’ll never tire of.
Golden stems hold a lovely load of brilliant leaves that burnish into a wonderfully rich, deep red. This is a traffic-stopping shade of red that will make you stop and do a double-take. Don’t go another year without this welcome, late-season intensity before the long, dark days of winter. Nestled here and there, you’ll find a light sprinkling of bright red berry clusters. The fruit is edible and can be used in homemade ‘Cranberry Sauce ‘ for your Thanksgiving turkey. Or, leave them for your local songbirds to feast upon.
You’ll never worry about winter damage. These durable shrubs handle arctic cold snaps with ease down to USDA growing zones 3 and up to zones 8. This outstanding native selection of American Cranberry is a home run. Our expert plantsmen take great pride in growing high-quality plant material. Plant with other Bailey or Cranberrybush Viburnum to increase pollination.
Planting and Application:
When considering a new shrub, take a walk around your property. Where can you use a boost of bold color? Naturally dwarf shrubs like this one can fit just about anywhere in your landscape. Even if your yard is the size of a postage stamp, you can enjoy brilliant red fall color and a lovely, living privacy screen! Perhaps you need a colorful, showy shrub at the corner of your home to anchor your foundation planting and persistent berries for winter interest.
People love using these in low, long-running hedges for a solid privacy screen. They make a very friendly living fence along your property line. Use a hedge along your driveway to help catch snowfall and reduce shoveling needs. Add several behind your patio seating to boost your sense of sanctuary. It’s the perfect stature for accenting narrow side yards and courtyards. Plant them 3 ½ feet apart on center for a quick screen, or use a staggered, zigzagging double row. Measure from the center of one to the center of the next.
If you are a bird lover or butterfly aficionado, you can use this shrub on the north side of a Butterfly Garden. Add one or more near your Victory Garden to entice winged wildlife with flowers and fruit. They’ll love this dense, compact native shrub, too! Birds flock to the berries for winter sustenance and a snack while migrating! Besides, it’s also a fun way to include flowering ornamentals as part of an edible landscaping design too!
- White Flowers in Spring Turn into Red Fruit
- Red Edges on New Leaves & Deep Red Fall Color
- Tidy, Compact Form – Low Maintenance!
- Versatile Native to North America
- Wonderful Accent Shrub, Impressive Fall Color, Foundations & Courtyards
Tips for Care:
This cultivar of the Viburnum American Cranberrybush is tolerant and forgiving. It grows in full sun and partial shade and in most types of soil. It will flower and color best with at least four hours of sunlight a day. Provide a moderate amount of water on a regular basis. You’ll want to apply a thick, three-inch layer of mulch over the roots to cut down on surface evaporation and improve your soil over time.
Nature Hills Root Booster is a great addition to the top few inches of planting backfill soil. The special ingredients help your plant access both nutrients and water from the soil over the course of its long life. This is well worth the investment! There really isn’t a need for heavy pruning if you plan for the full height and spread of this shrub. Prune lightly to shape immediately after flowering is finished. This shrub blooms on last year’s wood, so don’t wait too long, or you’ll miss out on next year’s blooms.
- Full Sun To Part Shade
- Widely Adaptable Deciduous Shrub
- Well-Drained Soil & Moderate Consistent Moisture
- Deer Don’t Prefer The Taste & Juglone Resistant
- Provide Mulched Beds, Easy-Care & Low Maintenance
It will look like a million bucks all growing season long and beyond! Choose the naturally dwarf Bailey Compact American Cranberrybush Viburnum for your property – large or small!
