Viburnum opulus

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Campanulids
Ordo: Dipsacales

Familia: Adoxaceae
Genus: Viburnum
Sectio: V. sect. Opulus
Species: Viburnum opulus
Varieties: V. o. var. americanum
Name

Viburnum opulus L., 1753
Synonyms

Opulus edulis J. S. Presl
Opulus glandulosa Moench.
Opulus lobatofolia Gilib.
Opulus oxycoccos J. S. Presl
Opulus palustris S.F.Gray
Opulus rosea Schur
Opulus trilobifolia Gilib.
Opulus vulgaris Borckh.
Viburnum americanum Mill.
Viburnum glandulosum Salisb.
Viburnum lobatum Lam.
Viburnum nanum Hort. ex Dippel
Viburnum opuloides Muhl.
Viburnum opulus f. glabrifolium M.Gajic
Viburnum opulus var. roseum L.
Viburnum opulus var. vasicii M.Gajic
Viburnum oxycoccos Pursh
Viburnum palustre Rafin.
Viburnum pinnina Rafin.
Viburnum primina Rafin.
Viburnum rosaceum hort. ex Steud.
Viburnum roseum (L.) Steud.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:
Viburnum opulus

Continental: Europe
Albania, Austria, Belgium, England, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Spain, Hungary, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, N-Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, Crimea, N-, C- & E-European Russia
Continental: Asie
Northern Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia [Caucasus], Siberia (W-Siberia, C-Siberia), Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkey (E-Anatolia, Inner Anatolia, N-Anatolia, NE-Anatolia, NW-Anatolia: Bithynia)

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus I: 268. Reference page.

Links

Hassler, M. 2018. Viburnum opulus. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2018. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jun. 30. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Viburnum opulus. Published online. Accessed: Jun. 30 2018.
The Plant List 2013. Viburnum opulus in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jun. 30.
Tropicos.org 2018. Viburnum opulus. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jun. 30.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Viburnum opulus in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.

Vernacular names
العربية: رباطية درهمية الأزهار
azərbaycanca: Adi başınağacı
žemaitėška: Potėns
беларуская: Каліна звычайная
български: Червена калина
català: Aliguer
čeština: Kalina obecná
Cymraeg: Gwifwrnwydd y gors
dansk: Almindelig Kvalkved
Deutsch: Gewöhnlicher Schneeball
English: Guelder-rose
Esperanto: Opulo
español: Rodela
eesti: Harilik lodjapuu
euskara: Gaukar
فارسی: بوداغ
suomi: Koiranheisi
français: Viorne obier
Gaeilge: Rós Ollannach
Gàidhlig: caor-chon
galego: Flor do mundo
hrvatski: Crvena hudika
hornjoserbsce: Dźiwja kaledźina
magyar: Kányabangita
հայերեն: բռնչի սովորական
italiano: Oppio
日本語: カンボク
қазақша: Кәдімгі шәңкіш
한국어: 백당나무
kernowek: Skaw dowr
lietuvių: Paprastasis putinas
мокшень: Чивге
македонски: Црвена удика
эрзянь: Чевгекс
Nederlands: Gelderseroos
norsk: Krossved
polski: Kalina koralowa
português: Rosa-de-gueldres
русский: Калина обыкновенная
slovenčina: Kalina obyčajná
svenska: Skogsolvon
Türkçe: Gilaburu
українська: Калина звичайна
Tiếng Việt: Vót châu Âu
walon: Sawou d' aiwe
中文（简体）: 欧洲荚蒾
中文（繁體）: 歐洲莢蒾
中文（台灣）: 歐洲莢蒾
中文: 欧洲荚蒾

iburnum opulus, the guelder-rose[1] or guelder rose (/ˈɡɛldər/)[2]) is a species of flowering plant in the family Adoxaceae (formerly Caprifoliaceae) native to Europe, northern Africa and central Asia.[3]

Description
Flowers (left) and fruit

Viburnum opulus is a deciduous shrub growing to 4–5 m (13–16 ft) tall. The leaves are opposite, three-lobed, 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long and broad, with a rounded base and coarsely serrated margins; they are superficially similar to the leaves of some maples, most easily distinguished by their somewhat wrinkled surface with impressed leaf venation. The leaf buds are green, with valvate bud scales.

The hermaphrodite flowers are white, produced in corymbs 4–11 cm (2–4 in) in diameter at the top of the stems; each corymb comprises a ring of outer sterile flowers 1.5–2 cm in diameter with conspicuous petals, surrounding a center of small (5 mm), fertile flowers; the flowers are produced in early summer, and pollinated by insects. The fruit is a globose bright red drupe 7–10 mm diameter, containing a single seed. The seeds are dispersed by birds.
Names

The common name 'guelder rose' relates to the Dutch province of Gelderland, where a popular cultivar, the snowball tree, supposedly originated.[4] Other common names include water elder, cramp bark, snowball tree, common snowball,[5] and European cranberrybush, though this plant is not closely related to the cranberry. Some botanists also include the North American species Viburnum trilobum as V. opulus var. americanum Ait., or as V. opulus subsp. trilobum (Marshall) Clausen.
Phylogeny

Viburnum opulus is a member of the Viburnum genus which contains 160 to 170 species. It is classified in the subsection Opulus, which usually contains 5 species. Phylogenetic analyses suggest the following relationship between those species:
 

clade containing sections Sambucina, Lobata, Coriacea, and Succodontotinus
 

	clade containing sections Sambucina, Lobata, Coriacea, and Succodontotinus
Opulus sect.	V. edule (squashberry, mooseberry) — Canada and northern parts of the US     V. koreanum (korean viburnum) — China, Korea           V. sargentii (tianmu viburnum) — north eastern Asia     V. opulus       V. trilobum (high bush viburnum) — northern North America

 
 
Cultivation
'Roseum'
Viburnum-Siberia.jpg

Viburnum opulus is grown as an ornamental plant for its flowers and berries, growing best on moist, moderately alkaline soils, though tolerating most soil types well. Several cultivars have been selected, including 'Roseum', in which all the flowers are only of the larger sterile type, with globular flower heads.

The shrub is also cultivated as a component of hedgerows, cover plantings, and as part of other naturalistic plantings in its native regions.

It is naturalised in North America.

The cultivars 'Notcutt’s Variety',[6] 'Roseum'[7] and the yellow-fruited 'Xanthocarpum'[8] have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[9]
Uses

The fruit is edible in small quantities, with a very acidic taste; it can be used to make jelly. It is however mildly toxic, and may cause vomiting or diarrhea if eaten in large amounts.[10]

The term cramp bark is related to the properties of the bark's ability to reduce smooth muscle tightness. It is called cramp bark as relieving this type of muscle tightness is most often associated with relieving women's menstrual (period) cramps. However, this can also be used during pregnancy for cramps or pain and general muscle cramping.[11]
Cultural meaning
In Eastern Slavic cultures viburnum opulus or kalyna often represents the beauty of a young lady.

Mentions of the viburnum can be found throughout Ukrainian folklore such as songs, decorative art, Ukrainian embroidery, and poetry. Its symbolic roots can be traced to the Slavic paganism of millennia ago. According to a legend, kalyna was associated with the birth of the Universe, the so-called Fire Trinity: the Sun, the Moon, and the Star.[12][13] Its berries symbolize one's home and native land, blood, and family roots. Kalyna is often depicted on Ukrainian embroidery: ritual cloths and shirts. In Slavic paganism kalyna also represents the beauty of a young lady, which rhymes well in the Ukrainian language: ka-ly-na — div-chy-na.[14][15][16] The song Chervona Kalyna was the anthem of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, and a berry cluster is today an insignia of the Ukrainian Army.

Viburnum opulus (kalina) is also one of the national symbols of Russia.[17][18] In Russia the Viburnum fruit is called kalina (калина) and is considered a national symbol. Kalina derived in Russian language from kalit' or raskalyat', which means "to make red-hot". The red fiery color of the berries represents beauty in Russian culture and together with sweet raspberries it symbolises the passionate love of a beautiful maiden, since berries were always an erotic symbol in Russia.[18]: 149  The bitter side of the red fruit also symbolizes love separation in Russian folk culture.[19] The name of the Russian song Kalinka is a diminutive of Kalina. Viburnum opulus is also an important symbol of the Russian national ornamental wood painting handicraft style called Khokhloma.

In Romanian, which has been influenced by East Slavic culture, Viburnum opulus is called călin. Călin is also used as both a given name and a surname.
References

BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
"guelder rose". Oxford English Dictionary second edition. Oxford University Press. 1989. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
The Reader's Digest Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Britain p.143.
Bock, Klaus; Jensen; Nielson; Norn (1978). "Iridoid allosides from Viburnum opulus". Phytochemistry. 17 (4): 753–757. doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(00)94220-1.
"RHS Plant Selector - Viburnum opulus 'Notcutt's Variety'". Retrieved 17 February 2019.
"RHS Plant Selector - Viburnum opulus 'Roseum'". RHS. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
"RHS Plant Selector - Viburnum opulus 'Xanthocarpum'". RHS. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
"AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 107. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
"Plant Database Search". www.pfaf.org.
"Cramp Bark: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning". www.webmd.com.
Lady of Prykarpattia (in Ukrainian)
Ukrainian embroidery Archived January 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine (in Ukrainian)
Doctor Bozhko, Agrarian Sciences. Trees in culture by folk. (in Ukrainian)
Doctor Kuzmenko, Philological Sciences. The symbolics of guilder rose in Ukrainian songs of the 20th century national liberating movements. (in English and Ukrainian)
darpoj (17 July 2007). "a kalyna ne verba-live(Natalka Karpa)" – via YouTube.
Peacebuilding with Women in Ukraine: Using Narrative to Envision a Common Future by Maureen Flaherty, Lexington Books, 2012, ISBN 0739174045 (page 172)
Prokhorov, Vadim (2002). Russian folk songs : musical genres and history. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0810841274. OCLC 47208585.
MacLaury, Robert E.; Paramei, Galina V.; Dedrick, Don (2007). Anthropology of color interdisciplinary multilevel modeling. J. Benjamins Pub. Co. pp. 418. ISBN 9789027232434. OCLC 928983471.