Labrador Tea vs Thimbleberry - TreeTime.ca

Labrador Tea vs Thimbleberry

Rhododendron groenlandicum (Ledum groenlandicum)

Rubus parviflorus

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Labrador Tea
Thimbleberry

Labrador Tea is slow-growing evergreen shrub native to the boreal forests of Canada.

It thrives in wet, swampy conditions.

Labrador Tea has narrow, leathery, dark green leaves, topped by a cluster of white flowers in the spring. It is a perfect ornamental shrub for boggy, wet areas of your property.

Thimbleberry is an ornamental shrub with large, green maple-like-leaves. Flowers are attractive, fragrant, and turn into red-raspberry-like berries. The berries are good for jams, cakes, breads, muffins etc. If you remove the berry, the core resembles a thimble, giving this shrub its namesake.

Labrador Tea Quick Facts

Thimbleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: any
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: none

Toxicity: slightly toxic if ingested

Foliage: leathery, orange undersides, evergreen
Foliage: Soft leaves up to 8 inches across
Fall colour: rust orange
Fall colour: gold
Flowers: white, fragrant
Flowers: white, showy
Berries: edible, red, similar to raspberries
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, ON
Other Names: thimbleberry, western thimbleberry