GUELDER ROSE
(Viburnum opulus)
Guelder Rose is a small deciduous shrubby tree up to 10 feet, commonly throughout southern and eastern England.
It is found in hedgerows and in damp woodlands, often forming part of the understorey in the latter.
The large white flower heads are borne in June and July. These are followed by large clusters of deep scarlet berries that hang down when ripe. Guelder Rose is not actually a rose despite its English name, and is a member of the Viburnum family. The name guelder comes from Gueldersland, a Dutch province, where the tree was first cultivated. The berries are used to make flavourings to food in Norway and Sweden and to make a liqueur in Siberia. It is also used in the U.S.A. to make a piquant jelly.