Canadian Buffaloberry vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Canadian Buffaloberry vs Bilberry

Shepherdia canadensis

Vaccinium myrtillus

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

CUSTOM GROW

Canadian Buffaloberry
Bilberry

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.

Bilberry is a native perennial shrub valued for its small, blue-black berries that ripen in mid to late summer. The berries resemble blueberries but have a richer, more tart, and intense flavor. They have long been used for fresh eating, baking, and preserves, while also providing food for birds and mammals. In spring, its delicate pinkish flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

Growing low to the ground, Bilberry forms spreading colonies that create dense understory cover. This growth habit provides food and shelter for wildlife, and its foliage adds seasonal interest by turning red to purple in autumn. With its adaptability and ecological benefits, Bilberry is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and pollinator gardens.

Canadian Buffaloberry Quick Facts

Bilberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: none


Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses
Foliage: dark green with silver undersides
Flowers: tiny, red
Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: summer
Berries: red bitter berries (edible)
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late summer to early fall
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
Other Names: canada buffalo berry, canada buffaloberry, canadian buffaloberry, foam berry, foamberry, russet buffaloberry, soap berry, soapberry, soopolallie
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry