What are these red berries and are they edible? - Ask Extension
These berries are on shrubs in the woods and along the driveway and behind my house. I did not plant them. I would like to know what they are, and if ...
Knowledgebase
What are these red berries and are they edible? #845746
Asked August 15, 2023, 11:17 AM EDT
These berries are on shrubs in the woods and along the driveway and behind my house. I did not plant them. I would like to know what they are, and if they are edible. The stems are red and the berries get redder than they are in the photos below.
Iosco County Michigan
Expert Response
This is American highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum). This shrub is a Viburnum species and not related to cranberry. It is a native to Michigan.
The ripe berries are edible in small quantities. Flavor can be variable from plant to plant, but most people comment that they are bitter or they dislike the taste.
You can read more about them at the following sites:
The ripe berries are edible in small quantities. Flavor can be variable from plant to plant, but most people comment that they are bitter or they dislike the taste.
You can read more about them at the following sites:
- https://www.washcoll.edu/learn-by-doing/food/plants/adoxaceae/viburnum-trilobum.php
- https://www.eattheweeds.com/high-bush-cranberry/
