Bearberry vs Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry) - TreeTime.ca

Bearberry vs Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry)

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry)
Bearberry

Bog Cranberry is a native, ground cover species. These plants generally produce one crop per year in summer. Plants may spread 3 feet in width forming a dense mat which makes it attractive as an ornamental ground cover.

Wild crops of Bog Cranberry are harvested each year in Newfoundland (more than 200,000 lbs/yr). Harvest of wild fruit can no longer keep up with demand. In Europe, 80 million pounds per year of this crop is grown or harvested from the wild.

Bog Cranberry flowers are similar in shape to those of blueberry and may be white or pink in color. These berries are considered to be highly flavored but not as tart as cranberries.

Check out our YouTube video of this plant in the fall: Fall Bog Cranberry.

Note: We use Bog Cranberry for Vaccinium vitis-idaea. This species is also known by many other common names. Please confirm the scientific name to ensure you are ordering the correct plant.

Bearberry is a dwarf shrub known for its creamy pink flowers and red edible fruits.

It is great as a filler in gardens and flowerbeds in place of invasive ground cover plants, like English Ivy.

Bearberry will attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees to your property. It is one of the top 12 plants recommended by the Alberta Native Bee Council to support pollinators.

Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry) Quick Facts

Bearberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.2 m (0.7 ft)
Height: 0.1 m (0.3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium


Foliage: leathery, evergreen
Flowers: white or pink
Flowers: small, purple-white
Berries: tart, cranberry-like
Berries: small red berries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: cowberry, dry ground cranberry, fox berry, foxberry, lingonberry, northern mountain cranberry, partridgeberry, rock cranberry, wolf berry, wolf-berry
Other Names: kinnikinnick, mealberry, sandberry