Highbush Cranberry vs Junegrass - TreeTime.ca

Highbush Cranberry vs Junegrass

Viburnum trilobum

Koeleria macrantha

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Highbush Cranberry
Junegrass

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.

Junegrass is a native, low-growing perennial bunchgrass commonly found in prairies and open woodlands. It is a great choice for prairie restoration and naturalization projects or an attractive accent in ornamental plantings. Spear-shaped seed heads rise above the gray-green lower leaves, maturing to a tan color. Flowering earlier than other upright prairie grasses, it greens up quickly in spring and maintains its appeal well into the fall. It is shorter in stature and rarely forms thick stands, which adds to its understated visual appeal.

Adapted to cooler climates, Junegrass thrives in well-drained, rocky, sandy, or gritty soils and can tolerate drought, cold, and high altitudes. It actively grows in spring and fall when soil temperatures are cool, but in areas that are too hot or humid, it may go dormant by late summer.

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Highbush Cranberry Quick Facts

Junegrass Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: edible red berries
Flowers: white clusters
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: none

In row spacing: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)


Other Names: american cranberrybush, american cranberrybush viburnum, high bush cranberry, kalyna
Other Names: koeleria cristata, prairie junegrass, prairie koelers grass