Guelder Rose
Guelder rose is a deciduous, upright shrub. Guelder-rose usually grows by lakes and in hedgerows. They sometimes reach as high as 4 meters. These flamboyant and beautiful shrubs brighten any forest in which they find themselves with blossoming flowers in spring and colorful berries. The name 'Guelder' is thought to have come from a form of this plant which is found in Gelderland, a province of the Netherlands. It is, however, a native plant to Ireland and it belongs to the Moschatel or Adoxaceae family.
Its leaves are simple, three-lobed, broad leaves, with sawtooth edges & tiny hairs on the underside. In spring, its leaves are green, meanwhile, in autumn they become orange-yellow in colour. They are 5-10cm in length & have a round base.
It’s when the Guelder rose leaves are orange-yellow, that its vibrant berries appear. Unfortunately, despite how appetising they may look, the berries of Guelder rose shrubs are inedible unless they are cooked into a jelly or a jam. These round, translucent berries appear in autumn and have a beautiful bright, red hue to them, which makes them stand out against any other trees or shrubs around.
The same can be said for the Guelder Roses flowers, which are equally as striking and distinct. Appearing from May to July, its flowers are clusters of white and flat-topped. These clusters are surrounded by larger, fruitless flowers.
These flowers (and their red berries) are great for attracting wildlife like birds. The berries act as an important food source for birds like Bullfinch and Mistle Thrush. Guelder roses are also particularly attractive to hoverflies, which act as a very important tool for biodiversity management.
Finally, due to its beauty and vibrancy, the Guelder rose is used frequently as an ornamental plant in Ireland and the UK. It is also one of the national symbols of Ukraine and is littered through the culture of Ukraine, through folk songs, art, embroidery, etc.
At Cloudforests, we are excited to plant numerous Guelder Rose in all of our Cloudforest sites over the next few months and years.
