woodland shrub
Squashberry
Viburnum edule
1 of 2Native to the Rockies, the Pacific Coast, and the Midwest and Canada
Labrador to Alaska, southern on mountains or cool slopes to northern New England, northeastern Minnesota, Colorado and northern Oregon
- Light Full sun to shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moist Moisture preference
- Zones 1–8 Cold to heat range
- Bloom May–Jun Flowering time
- Height up to 12 ft to 3.7 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland shrub for sun through shade and evenly moist soil. At up to 12 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 1–8.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Hunt's Bumble Bee also Van Dyke's Bumble Bee, Tridentate Miner
- Butterflies Incisalia eryphon
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Summer azurecaterpillar host
- Eastern pine elfinnectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- The Rockies, the Pacific Coast, and the Midwest and CanadaUnited States (15): AK, CO, ID, ME, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, OR, SD, VT, WA, WI, WY. Canada (13): AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, NU, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Labrador to Alaska, southern on mountains or cool slopes to northern New England, northeastern Minnesota, Colorado and northern OregonThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1–8 · Canadian 0–8The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Cool, moist soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 5.0–7.3The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Salinity tolerance
- LowHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 12 ft (to 3.7 m)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- RapidA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 12+ in (30+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- May–JunWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- WhiteThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Container, cuttings, seed, sprigsHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.0 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- ModerateWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.