The Nannyberry, Viburnum lentago, also known as Sheepberry or Sweet Viburnum is a member of the Adoxaceae family the genus Viburnum It is a deciduous, native to the North-Eastern and Midwestern United States and in Southern Canada.


Nannyberry is a large erect shrub or small fruit bearing tree, growing to 9 m in height with a short trunk, up to 25 cm in diameter, round-topped crown, drooping and flexible branches. The bark is auburn in color and broken into smallish scale pattern

The leaves of the nannyberry are formatted in opposite pairs, ovate to wedge-shaped, 5-10 cm in length and 2-5 cm wide, brightly green and shining on top, pale green and scored with little black dots underneath. In autumn they change into washy shades of green, purple, and yellow, orange and red autumn colors.

The nannyberry is notable for its long and soft floral buds. Flowers are lovely and abundant, little, 5-6 mm in diameter, with five off-white petals, staged in large round terminal cluster of flowers, 5-12 cm in diameter; during late springtime.

The fruit of the nannyberry tree is edible, round, small, about 10-15 mm long, fine-looking, growing as a colorful assortment of light green, pale yellow and red-pink fruits in the same cluster slowly change in to blue-black drupe when mature on a reddish stem; fruit it is, quite sweet and juicy with a thickish skin. It is consumed fresh directly from the bush or made into jams and jellies. The endocarp is rounded and flattened.

Nannyberry is found naturally in woods and thickets, in full sun to part shade preferring a rich, moist well-drained soil, but is also adaptable to poor soils. It adapts itself readily to cultivation. It is a low upkeep and pollution resistant tree.

It is easily propagated by seeds which similar to those of the other American Viburnum species; they don’t shoot until the second year after they are planted. It is as well propagated by rooted stem cuttings or transplantation of suckers.

Sheepberry, Sweet Viburnum, Viburnum lentago, Nannyberry

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