Highbush Cranberry

[Bassattackr]

Anyone have any experience with these? Plan to plant a few along a NWSG field edge as another wildlife friendly shrub, part sun (morning thru mid-day) location. As I understand, they are in the Viburnum family. Thanks!

 

[H20fwler]

I have lots of them. Good growers and don't mind a little wet feet, mine haven’t produced fruit yet were small when planted (unprotected) four years ago. They are around 3' tall now and bushy, should feed a variety of wildlife. I have mine in full sun in shrub strips loamy clay soil.

 

[Native Hunter]

They are a good shrub, but in my area Arrowwood Viburnum gets browsed much better than Highbush Cranberry.

 

[Bassattackr]

I have lots of them. Good growers and don't mind a little wet feet, mine haven’t produced fruit yet were small when planted (unprotected) four years ago. They are around 3' tall now and bushy, should feed a variety of wildlife. I have mine in full sun in shrub strips loamy clay soil.

Interesting they haven't produced fruit yet, maybe fairly soon if 3' tall now? I have plenty of orange clay in my soil.. FWIW my CEC is around 10.

 

[Bassattackr]

They are a good shrub, but in my area Arrowwood Viburnum gets browsed much better than Highbush Cranberry.

They grow about the same height / size in your opinion?

 

[H20fwler]

Interesting they haven't produced fruit yet, maybe fairly soon if 3' tall now? I have plenty of orange clay in my soil.. FWIW my CEC is around 10.

The deer have been relentless browsing on it especially in winter, they travel down my shrub strip rows and treat everything like it's an all you can eat salad bar nipping a little off each one as they go by. The shrubs are finally starting to get ahead of them but are really bushy looking right now, hopefully they will start getting tall enough to start looking like they are supposed to.
My strips are over a few hundred yards long planted with a wide variety of different things so it wasn't really practical to try and protect the volume that was there.

 

[Native Hunter]

They grow about the same height / size in your opinion?

Yes, both grow plenty tall enough and not much difference in size.

 

[Troubles Trees]

I planted 25 last year and they all survived their first winter in Zone 5 but that is all I have to report bud. Last year was a very dry year here so they can take dry summers and survive.

 

[Bassattackr]

Thanks TT, that's good to hear. Minimal maintenance is what I'm looking for!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I planted several at camp for some diversity and more food for the bird community. I caged them right at planting, so no deer on them. Their location gives them about half a day's sun and they have tiny springs in the sloped location to keep the soil moist. Clayish-loamy, stony soil. They're a good addition to any habitat for numerous critters ............. and people!!

They are a viburnum - not a true cranberry - but the red berries are VERY edible!! Similar to cranberries, being tart & full of vitamins & nutrients. Berries can be used in pies, jams/jellies, compotes.

 

[Ruffdude]

One of the few shrubs our deer do not decimate around here. We just started taking fencing down off them two years ago but so far so good.
They do well in an upland setting also, I agree they will explode if you give them wet feet but too much water has killed some of ours.
Terrific late season turkey food or early migrant songbird emergency food. I would plant it again without hesitation.

 

[ruskbucks]

We planted some about 10 years ago I my friends place in NW WI. We didn't cage them and the deer were comming 30 yards from his house and browsing them hard. He ended up fencing them all, and now they are great looking thick shrubs. They put out a lot of fruit. Grouse use them often.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I planted several at camp for some diversity and more food for the bird community. I caged them right at planting, so no deer on them. Their location gives them about half a day's sun and they have tiny springs in the sloped location to keep the soil moist. Clayish-loamy, stony soil. They're a good addition to any habitat for numerous critters ............. and people!!

They are a viburnum - not a true cranberry - but the red berries are VERY edible!! Similar to cranberries, being tart & full of vitamins & nutrients. Berries can be used in pies, jams/jellies, compotes.

So Bows, I have viburnum planted around my house because the deer typically will not touch it. Do you know if the deer will leave the highbush cranberry alone?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Sorry I got to read this so LATE after you posted your question!! I DO NOT know if deer will leave high bush cranberry (a viburnum) alone - ours are caged at camp. I believe once they get to a good size, deer won't be able to destroy them, based on pics I've seen of mature bushes.

 

[Bassattackr]

Anyone plant them in more of an upland habitat? Curious on how they'll do on more of a medium to medium-dry site.

 

[gunfun13]

I planted some into a sandy loam. After 2 growing seasons they're still not out of a 3' tube, hoping they make a big leap this year.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Anyone plant them in more of an upland habitat? Curious on how they'll do on more of a medium to medium-dry site.

Ours are planted on a northeast slope with a FEW tiny springs on that slope. It's fairly dry soil - not wet by any means - slightly moist at best. They were caged at planting, and have been growing slowly. They don't get babied at all. They aren't booming, but they're doing OK, I'd say.