Canadian Buffaloberry vs Thimbleberry - TreeTime.ca

Canadian Buffaloberry vs Thimbleberry

Shepherdia canadensis

Rubus parviflorus

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Canadian Buffaloberry
Thimbleberry

Canadian Buffalo Berry is a native deciduous shrub found throughout North America. This hardy, medium-sized shrub will tolerate poor soil conditions and produces attractive, edible–though very bitter–red fruit.

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.

Canadian Buffaloberry Quick Facts

Thimbleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 4a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: any
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: none


Foliage: dark green with silver undersides
Foliage: Soft leaves up to 8 inches across
Fall colour: gold
Flowers: tiny, red
Flowers: white, showy
Berries: red bitter berries (edible)
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: canada buffalo berry, canada buffaloberry, canadian buffaloberry, foam berry, foamberry, russet buffaloberry, soap berry, soapberry, soopolallie
Other Names: thimbleberry, western thimbleberry