There are more 100 species of Viburnums, maybe a couple of lots more. Botanists can’t agree. Viburnums are discovered in temperate environments all over the world, 18 belonging to North America plus at least 3 imports. They’re much utilized in landscaping and nation gardens. Before that about a lots were for food and tea.
Viburnum Health Benefits
Amongst the taken in Viburnums are Viburnum alnifolium, Viburnum cassinoides, Viburnum edule, Viburnum lantana, Viburnum lentago, Viburnum nudum, Viburnum oplus, Viburnum prunifolium, Viburnum rufidulum, Viburnum setigerum, and Viburnum trilobum.
The fruit, in some cases raw, cooked or dehydrated, is used from Viburnum alnifolium, Viburnum cassinoides, Viburnum edule, Viburnum lantana, Viburnum lentago, Viburnum nudum, Viburnum oplus, Viburnum prunifolium, Viburnum rufidulum, and Viburnum trilobum.
The leaves are use for tea from Viburnum cassinoides and Viburnum setigerum. There are likewise a number of cultivars for edible fruit consisting of Canber, Phillips, and Wentworth. And simply to make sure you understand V. oplus berries are harmful raw and must be cooked.
Fruits of the V. nudums were consumed by the Abernaki and Algonquin Indians. The Missouri River locals ate V. lentago, right. The majority of the North American Viburnums have large seeds and a small amount of fruit. Englishman John Lindley in 1846 called the native Viburnums “unpleasant food for savage nations.” There is a shadow of truth because. When European types with large fruit were introduced to North America the natives chose them.
Numerous Viburnums had medicinal applications. V. opulus and V. prunifolium have scopoletin, which is a coumarin glycoside that serves as a sedative especially on the uterus. It is thought that all Viburnums might have the coumarin glycoside.
More particular uses: Viburnum alnifolium, Hobblebush, Mooseweed, ripe fruit sweet and palatable tasting like raisins or dates. The stone, however, is large and the pulp thin. Viburnum casinoides, Withe-rod, Nannyberry, Moosewood, the pulp is sweet, well-flavored, holding on the tree deep into winter season.
An amber tea can be made from the dried leaves. First you steam them over boiling water, when cool roll them in between your fingers, let dominate night, then dry in an oven. Viburnum berry edule, Squashberry, Mooseberry, totally ripe berries are slightly acidic, pleasant tasting, can be consumed raw. They can be dried for later use.
Viburnum lentago, Wild Raisin, Sweet Vibrunum, Sheepberry, blue-black fruit, pulpy, sweet, juicy, pleasant. Viburnum nudum, Smooth-withe-rod, Possom Haw, apple-shaped fruits, compressed, 1/4 inch long, deep blue, sweet, consumed raw. Viburnum opulus, Guelder-rose, European Cranberry-bush, bright-red fruit, sour, used like cranberries in making jelly, maintains sauces. Viburnum prunifolium, Black Haw, Stagbush, bluish-black fruit, varying size, sweet, eaten in restaurants of hand, or used for jams, jelly, sauces, beverages and so on.
Viburnum Berries Recipe
Using: Most sources that offer dishes for any Viburnum fruit for making jams or jellies, or the paste for contributing to meals discuss preparing the fruit, then separating the seeds and skin by putting the prepared fruit through a food mill or pushing through a sieve. You may find the odd source stating to get rid of the seeds first, prior to cooking. I do not know if it really matters, but because the seeds are bitter.
One method is to put all you have gathered in the freezer and leave for a day, then take them out and let them thaw. They go mushy after that, and simply run them though a food mill, take the seeds that are left over, put them in a container with some water, rub them around with clean hands, and put that through a screen. After that, cook.
Another way is put the fresh fruit in a pot, mash with a potato masher, then put it through a food mill, put the seeds in a container with water, rub around and screen. There is a 3rd method. Boil them in just adequate water to cover them for 5 minutes, run though a food mill, put the seeds left over in a container with some water, rub around, sieve, put it all together, and cook for staying 15 minutes or two, or until it has actually come down to the density you want. It will thicken more when fully cooled.
Two more notes: if they are the type of Viburnum fruit that is best gathered when shrivelled up a bit, take in water to rehydrate before any of the above procedures & make certain all bits of stem are gotten rid of.
Tea Viburnum
Virburnum setigerum, Tea Viburnum, leaves are used as a replacement as tea. Virburnum trilobum, High-Bush Cranberry red fruit substituted for cranberries, used in sauces, juice, jams, jellies and syrup. High in vitamin C. Flowers can be added to pancakes, cake batters or made into fritters.
In some cases Viburnums can be puzzled with Dogwoods, depending upon the types and where you live. Locally Viburnums are simple to recognize by their opposite leaves and five-lobed flowers. If you see flashy clusters, especially in northern Florida, it will either be a Viburnum or a Dogwood. When not in flower, crease a leaf across the middle and carefully tear it apart. If it is a Dogwood leaf there will be “thread-like strings of latex” between the two pieces. Viburnums leaves do not produce such strings.
The genus is in the Honeysuckle family which has edible and mildly-toxic species. In reality there is some research that recommend it may have some anti-cancer properties. Another typical landscape Viburnum is Viburnum suspensum. Like V. odoratissiumn it’s leaves are fragrant when squashed. There is no reference of edibility for it or 2 typical landscape Viburnums, Viburnum rhytidophyllum and Viburnum davidii.
Viburnum nudun
Identification: Viburnum nuduns, deciduous shrub, small tree to 20 feet, leaves opposite, basic, lance shaped to elliptical, 4 to 6 inches long, frequently shorter, upper surface dark green, glossy, lower surface covered with tiny glandular dots, leaf ideas pinched to an abrupt point, edges normally toothless, sometimes finely crenated to serrated, slightly revolute. Flowers small, white, snazzy dispersing clusters to 6 inches wide in March and April. Fruit ellipsoid, at first red to pink turning deep blue.
In your area there are comparable look-alikies. To tell the Viburnum nudums from the Viburnum rufidulum (the edible Rusty Haw) search for dots on the lower leaf surface. Viburnum nudum has longer leaves than Viburnum obovatum (Walter Viburnum.) The Viburnum nuduns’ petiol is winged, separating it from the similar-looking Wax-leaf ligustrum. The Viburnum berry nudum has actually opposit leaves. Ilex decidua has alternative leaves.
Time: Fruit in fall, generally September and October.
Environment: Swamps, bay heads, wet forests.
Approach of Preparation: Fruit used raw or prepared, fruit leather. Remove seeds. Viburnum berries generally store well.
Native Americans had a variety of methods to use the berries of different Viburnum types. Among them were: Jelly, jam, combined with grease, stored with fish fat, frozen, juiced, blended with water and oil to make an ice cream, green and ripe berries steamed then covered with water and stored for winter season use, mixed with sugar, combined with sugar and flour (likewise a preferred way in Scandanivia) combined with grease and stored in birch bark containers underground.
Good luck! Have a nice weekend.
