Bearberry vs Junegrass - TreeTime.ca

Bearberry vs Junegrass

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Koeleria macrantha

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Bearberry
Junegrass

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.

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.

Bearberry Quick Facts

Junegrass Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.1 m (0.3 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: none


Foliage: leathery, evergreen
Flowers: small, purple-white
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, YT, NT
Other Names: kinnikinnick, mealberry, sandberry
Other Names: koeleria cristata, prairie junegrass, prairie koelers grass