shrub

Guelder rose

Viburnum opulus

Updated 8 Jul 2026 · AI-parsed entry

Guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) — a shrub, for Full sun, Medium water.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightfull sun to partial shade
Watermedium to high

↑ Gives back

Biomassmedium
Shademedium

Through the year

Emergence

New leaves emerge after the last spring frost and when air temperatures consistently rise above 50C.

Flowering

Flowers appear approximately 45 days after emergence, typically in late spring to early summer.

Fruiting

Berries develop after flowering, ripening from late summer into autumn.

Senescence

Leaves change color and drop with the first autumn frosts and shortening day lengths.

Dormancy

The plant enters dormancy shortly after leaf drop, lasting through winter.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagewell-drained to moist
Nitrogen fixingNo
MycorrhizalYes
Accumulatespotassium, phosphorus
Soil textureloam, clay, sand
Organic matterMedium
Compaction toleranceMedium

Propagation

Methodsseeds, cuttings, layering
Difficulty3 / 5
Establishes in~2 yr
Stratificationrequires cold stratification for germination
Self-seedingModerate
Divisionspring_or_autumn

Wildlife & pests

Attractspollinators, birds
Can host pestsaphids, viburnum leaf beetle
Can host diseasespowdery mildew, leaf spot