Nannyberry

Pollinator Value

🔑 Keystone: Viburnum is a keystone genus supporting 103 lepidoptera species in the region, with 7 native Viburnum species present. V. lentago provides caterpillar host resources for major moth families including Sphingidae (Hemaris thysbe, H. diffinis), Saturniidae (Callosamia promethea, Hyalophora cecropia, Automeris io), and Notodontidae (Schizura concinna, S. badia). Its persistent drupes and dense branching also provide critical winter cover and food for songbirds.
S13 103 lepidoptera; S14 24 host records; S10 bird nesting habitat
🐛 Larval Host: Calledapteryx dryopterata, Agriopodes fallax, Hemaris thysbe, Hemaris diffinis, Pyrrharctia isabella, Xanthotype sospeta, Callosamia promethea, Paonias excaecatus, Schizura concinna, Automeris io, Hyalophora cecropia, Orgyia leucostigma, Schizura badia, Glyptocera consobrinella
S13+S15 14 verified Eastern NA
❄️ Winter Food Source: Blue-black drupes ripen late summer through autumn and persist into winter, providing food for Cedar Waxwing, Ruffed Grouse, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, Eastern Bluebird, Pine Grosbeak, and other overwintering species. Fruits are also consumed by mammals including Fox Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, and White-footed Mouse.
S57 18 bird species; S61 fruits persist into winter; S10 bird and mammal diet

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Secure (S5) in Ontario where it is widespread across multiple ecoregions with 1,258 preserved specimens. Ranked Vulnerable (S3) in Quebec with 149 preserved specimens concentrated in the St. Lawrence Lowlands and southern Laurentians. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Global rank G5 (Secure), IUCN Least Concern.
S22 S5 ON, S3 QC, G5, IUCN LC; S26 not SARA listed; S48 ON/QC specimen counts
Rarity Ranks: QC S3 – Vulnerable, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Nannyberry occupies mesic to moist woodland edges, floodplain forests, stream banks, thickets, and fencerows throughout the Algonquin/Southern Laurentians ecoregion. It is a common understory component of rich deciduous forests, often associated with floodplain species such as Ulmus spp. and Platanus occidentalis. Tolerant of a range of soil conditions, it colonizes gaps and edges via root suckering, forming small clonal thickets. Ranked S5 (Secure) in Ontario but S3 (Vulnerable) in Quebec.
S10 mesic woodlands, stream banks; S7 borders and banks of streams, fens; S62 Common in Ottawa; S22 S5 ON, S3 QC

Roles: Fortress/Barrier, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 3 bee associations (threshold=3)]
Notes: Excellent hedge or screen plant that tolerates juglone (safe near black walnut). Suitable for rain gardens and shoreline rehabilitation. Self-incompatible, requiring a genetically distinct individual nearby for fruit set. Forms thickets via root suckering, which can be undesirable in small gardens but valuable for erosion control and wildlife corridors.
S3 juglone tolerant, rain garden, shoreline rehab, hedge; S29 thickets from root sprouts, self-incompatible

Category: Antispasmodic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Urinary Aid, Antihemorrhagic, Emetic
S29 antispasmodic, diuretic, emmenagogue; S28 urinary aid, antihemorrhagic, emetic, tuberculosis remedy, abortifacient
Notes: Bark used as antispasmodic. Ojibwa used inner bark infusion as diuretic. Iroquois took decoction of roots for spitting blood and as emetic during early stages of consumption. Chippewa applied leaf poultice or infusion for dysuria. Delaware Ontario used compound leaf infusion for measles. Malecite and Micmac used root preparations for irregular menstruation.
S28 8 drug uses across 7 nations; S29 antispasmodic bark, root decoction, leaf treatments

✅ Edible

Foraging Notes: Fruit eaten raw or cooked, also dried for winter use. Blue-black drupes are sweet and somewhat juicy, tasting like raisins or dates, best after frost. Indigenous peoples including Iroquois, Ojibwa, Menominee, Dakota, Omaha, Pawnee, Ponca, and Winnebago consumed the fruit fresh, dried it into cakes, or mixed it into sauces and corn bread. Ojibwa also used berries in jam with wild grapes.
S28 12 food uses across 9 nations; S29 edibility rating 4/5, fruit description; S10 sweet, raisin-like flavor