North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Claude Jolicoeur <cjoli@gmc.ulaval.ca>]

A 08:44 08.10.26 -0500, vous avez écrit :
>
>   Some references call it Viburnum trilobum, others V. opulus.  Some
stands of it have bitter fruit.  Some are sweet(ish) and others smell like
dirty socks.  Am I experiencing different varieties?  Are the differences
environmental?  Highbush Cranberry is becoming a popular landscape tree and
there are likely more folks who are asking the same questions.  Others and
I are trying to make a palatable jelly with it.  What has been your
experience?
>
>Jim Fruth

Jim,
Viburnum trilobum is very common in Quebec. It is commonly called here
"Pimbina", which is, I think, the way indians called it. It is known that
they used it for food, but I don't know how they cooked it and what they
did with it.
I have used it mixed with apples in juice - it gives some color and
astringency to the juice and can be interesting for cider.

Here in Quebec, it is quite badly affected by a pest that defoliates it by
end of summer. The plant survives OK, but it is not very atractive as a
landscape bush... I don't know if this issue can be easily solved.

Claude,
Quebec.