Guelder Rose care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) wants partial shade and a drink about every 5 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. It is safe to have around pets.
| scientific name | Viburnum opulus |
|---|---|
| family | Viburnaceae |
| category | shrub |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | partial shade |
| water cadence days | 5 |
| mature height cm | 400 |
| min zone | 3 |
| max zone | 8 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | false |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Guelder Rose?
Moist soil; red berries for birds.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: low. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is low. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 30 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 50 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 5.2. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.0. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: no. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. Its tolerance of waterlogging is low. It needs at least 110 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is high. Its fire tolerance is medium. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -38°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a multiple stem form. Its growth rate is slow. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in spring and summer. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: no. Its tolerance of hedging is high. At maturity it reaches about 12.0 feet. By twenty years it is about 12 feet. Its roots go down at least 14 inches. Its shape is erect. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in late spring. The flowers are white. Conspicuous in flower: yes. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is coarse. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is moderate in porosity. Fall colour: yes. The fruit or seed is red. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits high. The fruit persists on the plant: yes. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: yes. Seedling vigour is low. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02