Ninebark vs Grouseberry - TreeTime.ca

Ninebark vs Grouseberry

Physocarpus opulifolius

Vaccinium scoparium

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Ninebark
Grouseberry

Ninebark is a small, multi-stemmed shrub, that is used to add texture or colour to any yard.

It features flaky, cinnamon-brown bark, attractive white flowers, and long, maple-like leaves.

Grouseberry is a native, low-growing deciduous shrub known for its edible red berries. In early summer, it produces small, urn-shaped flowers ranging from white to pink that attract bees and other pollinators. The berries provide an important food source for many types of wildlife, including game birds such as grouse, which gives the plant its common name. People can also enjoy the berries fresh or in baked goods, though they can be difficult to harvest in large quantities.

Spreading by rhizomes, Grouseberry forms dense, broom-like mats that help stabilize soil and prevent erosion, while also providing cover for ground-nesting wildlife. It is commonly found beneath conifers in open forests, subalpine meadows, and occasionally on rocky slopes in mountainous regions. It is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and soil stabilization projects.

Ninebark Quick Facts

Grouseberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: shade, partial shade
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: slow
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: reddish
Flowers: small white clusters
Flowers: small pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: spring
Berries: small pink to purple berry like follicles
Berries: small, bright red, edible
Flavor: tart
Harvest: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: dwarf red whortleberry, grouse whortleberry, little-leaved huckleberry, red alpine blueberry, small-leaved huckleberry