Bearberry vs Pinegrass - TreeTime.ca

Bearberry vs Pinegrass

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Calamagrostis rubescens

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

CUSTOM GROW

Bearberry
Pinegrass

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.

Pinegrass is a hardy, native perennial grass common in forested regions of western North America. It is an important understory species and is typically found beneath conifer canopies. Due to its spreading nature and ability to form dense mats that cover the forest floor, it helps stabilize soils and reduce erosion.

It provides forage for wildlife and livestock, shelter for small animals, and seeds for birds, playing an important ecological role in woodland ecosystems. Pinegrass is well-suited for ecological restoration, soil stabilization, and naturalization projects.

Bearberry Quick Facts

Pinegrass Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.1 m (0.3 ft)
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: medium


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
Other Names: kinnikinnick, mealberry, sandberry
Other Names: pine reedgrass