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Nannyberry

Nannyberry

A perennial and deciduous shrub in the Genus of Viburnum from the Family Adoxaceae. It can be large shrub (more than 8 feet), upright compact tree (10-15 feet), or small tree (15-25 feet) with a form arching shape and multi-stemmed, thicket-forming appearance.

Nannyberry is known for its dark, lustrous green leaves which turn maroon-red in the fall. Then there are the ivory flowers that appear in late spring, flat-topped inflorescences as wide as your palm with its groups of numerous tiny blossoms. These flowers develop into a colorful mixture of different colored fruits, some light green, others pale yellow or red-pink, and all in the same cluster. They darken into blue-black and mature from autumn through early winter. The bark is dark gray to black in a pattern of small blocks.

Nannyberry is also called Sheepberry, Sweet Viburnum while Viburnum lentago is the botanical name and it is native to the Southeast, Northeast, and the Rocky Mountains and is typically found in woodlands and wood edges, a great plant for naturalizing. The root type is a rhizome. The plant has a tendency to sucker abundantly as it gets older. It can form a large thicket or colony. If you do not want this to happen, make removing suckers part of your care regimen.

Introduction
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Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
The “perfect” flowers – having both male and female parts – are self-infertile and cross pollination is needed for reliable fruit production. Two or three shrubs are recommended for ample fruiting. The Hardiness zones are 3 to 8. Temperature of about 30˚C is perfect for growing this species of berries. The seed is best sown when the weather is mildly cold. Germination is slow and takes more than 18 months. In late winter you can prune them into shape.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
Select a site that is well draining (made of sand, loam, and clay) if possible. The plant will adapt to poor compacted soils, dry, or wet soils. It also adapts well to moderate heat, drought and urban pollution. Soil pH of 5.0 to 7.5 is preferred. The light exposure works with full sun (6 hrs direct light daily) and partial shade (4-6 hrs light daily).
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Seed requires 180 to 510 days of warm stratification followed by 60 to 120 days cold stratification. They can be planted out in their permanent locations in late spring or early summer the next year. Sow seed ¼ inch deep, tamp the soil, then mulch the seed bed.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
It will attract Butterflies, Pollinators and Songbirds. Nannyberries companion well with Creeping Phlox and Mountain Laurel.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
This shrub needs evenly spread moist soil – try to avoid letting the soil dry out.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Keep the area free of other growth by hand-pulling weeds for the first couple of years.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Fertilize in spring with a layer of compost and an organic plant food.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
You won’t spend much time nursing these shrubs. Nannyberry plants have no serious pest or disease. Watch for powdery mildew if air circulation is poor but a full sun location will help prevent powdery mildew and that doesn’t damage the plant. Leaf spot can be an occasional problem.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
They ripen late autumn and sometimes hang on the branches all winter long. Nannyberries ripen in stages. It tastes somewhere between a prune and a banana.
How to Harvest:
Early October is when you’ll see the first fruits ripen, but it’s best to wait until the whole clusters darken.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Nannyberries are large and well worth your effort. Watch out for those gigantic flattened seeds inside though. The seeds are hard, and not for eating. The fruit is quite dry, and you need heat and water to separate it from the seeds. Start by removing the stems, leaves and other debris from the ripe berries. Next, place the berries in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, occasionally mashing to help the fruit separate from the seeds. Separate the seeds from the pulp by passing it through a food mill, or pressing it through a fine-mesh strainer. The berries can only be processed hot, so work quickly. If the pulp cools too much, just place it back in the pan, add a bit of water and re- heat before straining again. The next step is to remove some of that water, by drying the puree out a bit. You can do this by spreading the pulp on a tray in the oven and then baking at 300ish degrees for about 30-45 minutes. A crockpot set to low also works well, as does very low simmering in a pot on the stove. The goal is to get it to something that roughly approximates apple butter in texture. Thick, spreadable but stands on its own and holds its shape. These berries can be dried and eaten later as a snacking item. It can be crushed into a smoothie or milk shake. The leaves and bark also have medicinal uses.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
In general, a viburnum plant will grow anywhere from 1 foot to more than 2 feet in a year. Of course, compact varieties grow at a slower rate than their taller counterparts. Storing cold and dry needs for 34-41 degrees F are noted. Shelf life of 2-6 years cold and dry. Propagating viburnums by seed is labor-intensive and not recommended.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

One origin of its common name came from nanny goat lore. In late winter you can prune them into shape.

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