Highbush Cranberry - Information for the Consumer

	Highbush Cranberry - Viburnum Trilobum Information for the Consumer
	Introduction Highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) is shrub native to much of Canada, and was once used by the Natives and Settlers. Its popularity is growing again with a increased interest in native prairie fruits, but it still remains unknown by many people. Highbush cranberry, although used in landscaping and reclamation projects, is not commonly grown for its fruit. This page was designed to introduce highbush cranberry as both a native fruit and a wonderful landscape plant for people living across the Canadian Prairies. The links in the left column can be used to browse the different sections of this page. Back to top Uses for Highbush Cranberry The Natives of Canada used many parts of highbush cranberry for both food and medicine. The berries are high in vitamin C and were eaten fresh or made into pemmican. The bright red fruit was also used for ink and a dye for clothing. The bark and leaves, which contain a bitter tasting chemical called viburnine, were boiled into teas and used as sedatives and pain relievers. Settlers used the berries mainly for jelly and juice, and these continue to be the main uses of the fruit today. The berries can also be used in pies, sauces, liqueurs, and wine. Each berry has a large, heart shaped seed in the centre, making it more suited for use as a processed fruit rather than fresh. Highbush cranberry is a cross pollinating plant, which means it needs pollen from a different shrub in order to produce fruit. Be sure to plant two or more varieties in your yard if you are planning on using the fruit. Like other berries and soft fruit, highbush cranberries keep only for a short time in the refrigerator, but may be frozen and used later for cooking. Fruit should be washed and stemmed before freezing or preserving. Here are some recipes that you might like to try: Highbush Cranberry Jelly Highbush Cranberry Sauce Highbush Cranberry Liqueur Back to top Highbush Cranberry as a Landscape Plant The fruit of highbush cranberry was traditionally used, but the shrub also is an attractive addition to the landscape. It is considered a four season shrub, meaning it has attractive features for every season. Highbush cranberry is a medium sized shrub, growing three to four metres (9 to 12 feet) tall and wide. The leaves are medium sized and divided into three large lobes, providing interesting coarse texture in the landscape. Good fall colour can be rare on the prairies, but highbush cranberry will fill your yard with colour in the autumn. Depending on the variety, the leaves turn scarlet red, to deep purple, to bronze and orange. The flowers appear in late spring, in 10 to 15 cm wide, bright white clusters. If you look closely at the clusters you will notice an outer ring of large, showy, but sterile flowers (no pollen or fruit produced). These function to catch the eye of passing insects required for pollination. The small flowers in the centre of the clusters are where the pollen, and later the fruit, is produced. The flowers turn into glowing red clusters of berries by late summer or early fall. They will stay on the shrub in decorative clusters all winter long if not picked. If you want to use the fruit of highbush cranberry, it is important the plant more than one. Highbush cranberry is a cross pollinating plant, which means it needs pollen from a different shrub in order to produce fruit. If you don’t have room for two in your yard, convince a neighbour to put one in too! Back to top Nutritional and Health Information Not much is known about the nutritional value of highbush cranberry except that the fruit is very high is vitamin C. The bark and leaves may be boiled into a tea that is used as a sedative and to relieve muscle cramps and spasms. The bark, called Cramp Bark, is also used extensively to relieve menstrual cramping. These Viburnum products are more common in northern areas of Europe today, but were once widely used by natives and settlers across North America. The major active ingredient in the plant is viburnine. Caution! Some reports indicate that eating large amounts of the berries can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Cramp Bark may have similar effects if used in excess. Do not administer to children. Back to top How to Grow Highbush Cranberries Highbush cranberry is native shrub to much of Canada, and well suited to our growing conditions here on the prairies. It is a low maintenance shrub that will take care of itself once it is established. Like all shrubs, when first planted in your yard highbush cranberry will need some extra care and attention. For the first growing season make sure that the plant is kept well watered and the weeds are controlled. Fertilizer is usually not needed, but putting some bone meal in hole before planting will help give the roots a head start. It is a good idea to use mulch, such as shredded bark, wood chips, or even compost, around the shrubs. This will help keep the weeds down and hold moisture in the soil, reducing the amount of water you will need to apply. Spread the mulch 10 to 20 cm thick, and at least 60 cm on all sides of the plant. Pull the mulch back a few centimetres from the base of the plant to avoid insect damage to the young stems. Highbush cranberry does not need annual pruning like some shrubs, but if you want to get the most fruit off of your plants light renewal pruning is a good idea. Renewal pruning consists of the removal of the oldest and thickest branches of a shrub. Prune the branches right at ground level. Leaving stumps will make the plant look messy, and give disease organisms a place to infect the shrub. Back to top Picking the Fruit The berries develop in large clusters, making them easy to pick. If you are planning on eating the berries fresh, wait until after a frost to pick. The frost will soften and sweeten the fruit. Highbush cranberries will be ready for picking by mid September to October. Because the berries stay on the plant unless pulled off, they can be picked all winter long and used for jellies if the birds don't get to them first. If you want to cook the fruit it is best picked before a frost. At this time the berries have their highest pectin levels, and the characteristic musty smell of highbush cranberry will be less. Frozen berries may need pectin added if they are to be used for jelly. Back to top Varieties There are a number of varieties available, each with it own characteristics. It is important to decide what you will use the plant for before choosing a variety, as some plants are only ornamental and will not produce much fruit. The following is a list of some of the more common varieities, but other may be available in nurseries. Andrews A compact variety that grows to three metres. It will not get leggy like some varieties. The fruit is large and late maturing. Wentworth Vigourous grower, and will reach its mature size of three to four metres quickly. Large clusters of early maturing fruit. Very spectacular fall colour. Garry Pink Similar to the wild species (V. trilobum) but has light pink flowers. Not as much fruit as other vareties. Also has outstanding red colour in the fall. Compactum Grows only to one metre and does not produce flowers or fruit. A good size for foundation planting and smaller shrub beds. Good fall colour. Alfredo Also dwarf variety growing to two meters. Flowers and fruit are sparse. Fall colours range from yellow to red, to deep purple. Back to top More Information There is a great deal of information on highbush cranberry on the Internet. Here are some links you might find interesting. Cramp Bark Good information on current medicinal uses of highbush cranberry Highbush Cranberry Information on highbush cranberry in its native setting Littleflower’s Medicinal Plants Interesting historical and medicinal uses for highbush cranberry Native Fruit Development Program at the University of Saskatchewan Information on the development of new varieties of fruit for the prairies For more information on where to find highbush cranberry orchards or other fruit grown on the prairies: Fruit Growers Society of Alberta Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association Prairie Fruit Growers Association (Manitoba) Back to top Recipes Highbush Cranberry Jelly 1000 mL (4 cups) highbush cranberries 500 mL (2 cups) water 500 mL (2 cups) sugar Wash and stem the berries and place in a saucepan with the water. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes or until all the berries have burst open. Strain out the juice and return juice to the saucepan. Add sugar and bring to a vigorous boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until the mixture falls in a sheet from the spoon. Pour into sterilized jars and seal with paraffin. Adapted from PFRA Shelterbelt Publication Highbush Cranberry Sauce 1000 mL (4 cups) highbush cranberries 50 mL (1/4 cup) water 15 mL (1 tbsp) gelatin 250 mL (1 cup) sugar Wash and stem the berries and place in a saucepan with the water. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes or until all the berries have burst open. Strain out the juice and return juice to the saucepan. While the juice is hot, add sugar and gelatin and stir until dissolved. Cool and serve as a sauce with meat and wild game. Adapted from PFRA Shelterbelt Publication Highbush Cranberry Liqueur Ingredients: 500 mL (2 cups) highbush cranberries 375 mL (1 1/2 cups) vodka 375 mL (1 1/2 cups) sugar 200 mL (3/4) cup water 1/2 lemon or lime peel 1/4 orange peel Optional: 1 stick cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground allspice Thoroughly wash and rinse a large 40 oz glass container with a tight fitting lid. Wash and stem berries, chop into puree using a food processor and place in glass container. Add lemon and orange peel, vodka, sugar, and optional spices. Let stand for 4 weeks in a dark place, shaking gently each day to dissolve the sugar. Strain several times using cheesecloth, rebottle, and serve. Will make Adapted from Homemade Cranberry Liqueur Back to top Photo Credits All Photos on this page used with permission. high_bush_cranberry1.jpg high_bush_cranberry2.jpg high_bush_cranberry4.jpg From Two Rainyside Gardeners http://www.rainyside.com high_bush_cranberry3.jpg high_bush_cranberry5.jpg From University of Connecticuit Plant Database http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/v/vibtri/vibtri1.html References Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 1999. PFRA Shelterbelt Publication - Fruit bearing shrubs for multi-use shelterbelts and orchards. Online: http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/shbpub/fruitshr.htm. Accessed: 02/Dec/2002. Alpha Omega Labs. 2002. Cramp Bark. Online: http://216.55.141.125/cramp_bark.htm. Accessed: 02/Dec/2002 Kershaw, L. 2000. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton, Canada. Knowles, H. 1989. Woody Ornamentals for the Prairies. University of Alberta Manitoba Agriculture and Food. 2000. Manitoba Agriculture and Food Fruit Guide. Perrault, D. 1993. Final report wild highbush cranberry products. Project # F-90FP-0028. Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food. St-Pierre, R.G. The Development of Native Fruit Species as Horticultural Crops in Saskatchewan. Hortscience 27(8):866,947. Zatylny, A., and R. St-Pierre. 1998. Unpublished data.

	The information in this Consumer Information Guide was compiled by William Hrycan for PLSC 441.3 Advanced Fruit Growing Class, at the University of Saskatchewan Page was created December 2002