This member of the Gooseberry family does grow wild in the UK but they don’t produce as many and as large fruits as the garden and allotment hybrids which have escaped into the wild. Another name for guelder rose is crampbark, which refers to its use in medicine for treating asthma and heart disease – but don’t try it yourself! In the past, it was known as swamp-elder which demonstrates its preference for boggy areas. It is classified in the subsection Opulus which usually contains 5 species. Used as a cranberry substitute in making, jellies, preserves etc. The crushed fruit has an unpleasant smell. The fruit is up to 8.5mm in diameter but with a large seed. Redcurrant berries. The guelder rose is a member of the Viburnum genus which contains 160-170 species. Guelder berries are one that I often admire but don't often use, though I have included them in small amounts in compotes, preserves and jellies in the past, though I have never made a pure Guelder rose jelly until now. Edible parts of Guelder Rose: Fruit - raw or cooked. Some caution is advised, see notes on toxicity at top of the page. Edible wild berries and fruit are some of the most rewarding things to find when you’re out foraging wild edible plants. That makes them very accessible for beginners and provide a sweet bit of instant gratification. Guelder rose belongs to the same family as the elder. Phylogenetic anlyses suggest the following relationship between those species: clade containing sections Sambucina, Lobata, Coriacea, and Succodontotinus Opulus sect. Although the berries are mildly toxic raw, they can be cooked into an edible and tasty jam. Edible Summer View Full Size Image. Other uses of the herb: A red dye is obtained from the fruit. I gathered about a pound and a half of berries . When eaten, the bark of guelder rose viburnums is thought to have positive medicinal effects as an antispasmodic, earning the plant one of its common names – crampbark. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cramp-bark-guelder-rose Many parts of the plant are inedible or poisonous, especially the leaves and the bark. The berries are classed as toxic when raw but edible when cooked and have a long history of being used in Scandinavia. Unlike roots and greens, wild berries and fruits often don’t require preparation and cooking. A sour taste, it is best cooked.