Highbush Cranberry vs Northern Red Currant - TreeTime.ca

Highbush Cranberry vs Northern Red Currant

Ribes triste

Viburnum trilobum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Northern Red Currant
Highbush Cranberry

The Northern Red Currant is also known as the Swamp Red currant due to its preference for moist soil. As long as the soil is wet, this shrub can live in any degree of sunlight.

The currant itself is a bright red-purple berry enjoyed by many animals and some people for its sour flavour, similar to garden red currants. The flowers of this shrub are tiny and red or greenish-purple.

Highbush Cranberry produces attractive white flowers in late June and bears edible fruit that matures to a bright red colour in the late summer.

This shrub, native to much of Canada, is fast growing, and its fruit can be eaten raw or cooked into a sauce.

Northern Red Currant Quick Facts

Highbush Cranberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Spread: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Spread: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: none


Flowers: reddish or greenish purple
Flowers: white clusters
Berries: shiny, sour, bright red
Berries: edible red berries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


In row spacing: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Other Names: swamp red currant
Other Names: american cranberrybush, american cranberrybush viburnum, high bush cranberry, kalyna