Viburnum lentago
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| Viburnum lentago L. |
Viburnum lentago (Nannyberry, Sheepberry, or Sweet Viburnum) is a species of Viburnum native to the north-eastern United States and southern Canada, from New Brunswick south to New York and west to the Dakotas.
It is a large shrub or small tree growing to 9 m tall with a trunk up to 25 cm diameter. The bark is grayish-brown, and broken into small scales. The twigs are smooth, tough, flexible and produce an offensive odor when crushed or bruised. Like all viburnums, the leaves are arranged in opposite pairs on the twigs; they are oval, 5-10 cm long and 2-5 cm broad, finely serrate, with a winged petiole. The flowers are small, 5-6 mm diameter, with five whitish petals, arranged in large round cymes 5-12 cm diameter. The fruit is a small round blue-black drupe, 8-16 mm long on a reddish stem. The fruit is sweet and edible.
[edit] Uses
As suggested by the alternative name Sweet Viburnum, the fruit is (unlike that of many Viburnums) edible. The bark and leaves were also used by Native Americans in the preparation of herbal medicines.
