Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is guelder rose (Viburnum opulus)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called guelder rose, European cranberrybush, cramp bark.

More about guelder rose

About guelder rose

Viburnum opulus · also called guelder rose, European cranberrybush · flowering

Guelder rose is a vigorous native European shrub bearing lacecap white flowers in late spring, followed by brilliant red translucent berries in autumn alongside vivid red and orange foliage. Fully hardy to USDA Zone 3, it thrives in moist soils and part shade, making it an outstanding wildlife and woodland garden shrub.

Cold limit: USDA 3-8 · RHS H7 (-40°C to 35°C)

What guelder rose's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — guelder rose is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 3-8, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H7 means: Hardy in the severest European continental winters. On the US scale that maps to USDA 3-8 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. guelder rose is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for guelder rose as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can guelder rose go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 3-8 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when guelder rose can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H7 figure above.

guelder rose hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is guelder rose cold hardy?

Yes — guelder rose is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 3-8, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. guelder rose is hardy across USDA 3-8; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature guelder rose can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. guelder rose is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is guelder rose?

guelder rose is rated USDA 3-8 and RHS H7 — Hardy in the severest European continental winters.

Can guelder rose survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 3-8 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to guelder rose below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.