The Appalachian tea ‘Lil’ Ditty’ (Viburnum cassinoides) is a dwarf and very floriferous variety. Its dark glossy foliage highlights fragrant white flowers in spring and turns red in autumn, not without first displaying corymbs of fruit that will remain hanging for a long time, displaying a whole range of decorative shades, from white to nuptial blue to fuchsia.

In English, its name ”Northern wild raisin” or even “Appalachian tea”, tea from the Appalachians, reveals its edible uses. Its fruits, not very juicy, not very pulpy, are sweet and fragrant enough to be picked like candy in passing, of which you can crunch the tender core. In boreal gastronomy, it is mainly used to make excellent coulis, syrups and jellies, otherwise it is used to make a coloring powder with a fruity scent after drying, it is macerated in a neutral alcohol to extract a maximum of aromas, or to create a boreal rosé gin.

With its shallow roots, the Appalachian tea ‘Lil Ditty’ prefers the humidity that it sometimes finds in an acidic peat bog far to the north and it would wither in poor, dry soil. Cross-pollination is required for its fruiting. For a satisfactory harvest, plant at least one viburnum cassinoides in its company. Riparian strips. Native.