Guelder Rose

The Guelder Rose is a deciduous, upright shrub that is native to Britain, with greyish, hairless stems, three-lobed leaves with serrated edges and sparse fine hairs on the underside.

In spring, the leaves are green, then in autumn they change to yellowy-orange or red.

The flowers are branched inflorescences of white, occasionally pink and flat-topped that appear in May and continue through to July. Each cluster of flowers is encircled by a ring of larger, sterile, flowers.

In autumn bright red berries appear in hanging bunches. They are eaten by birds, including bullfinch and mistle thrush.

The Guelder Rose grows in damp places along riversides, damp scrub, old hedgerows and woods.

It grows throughout Britain, but is rare in Scotland.

The Guelder Rose is susceptible to damage from the Viburnum beetle and larvae, which eat the leaves from the shrub. Holes in the leaves and brown, dried leaf edges are signs of an attack.

The common name ‘Guelder Rose’ comes from the Dutch province of Gelderland. A popular cultivar, the snowball tree, supposedly originated there.