Nannyberry

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago ‘Nannyberry’)

Size: 12′ tall and canopy spread to 10′

Flowering: mid-June

Fruiting: ripens in late August

Birds: late-summer feeding, and fall migrants such as catbird, thrasher, robin, blackbirds, waxwing, sometimes orioles and grosbeaks

This native species Viburnum grows as a tall shrub or small tree. In late spring it produces small, white flowers in flat-topped clusters. The edible fruits are bluish-black in drooping clusters that stay on the plant all winter if they aren’t eaten by birds. It grows best in rich, moist soil, and is often found in upland woods in the wild. It tolerates both acid and alkaline soils. Nannyberry makes a great hedge or screen for your garden, or can be planted in naturalized areas. The birds will relish the fruit and use the plant for cover and raising their young.