Lowbush Cranberry vs Grouseberry - TreeTime.ca

Lowbush Cranberry vs Grouseberry

Vaccinium scoparium

Viburnum edule

CUSTOM GROW

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Grouseberry
Lowbush Cranberry

Grouseberry is a native, low-growing deciduous shrub known for its edible red berries. In early summer, it produces small, urn-shaped flowers ranging from white to pink that attract bees and other pollinators. The berries provide an important food source for many types of wildlife, including game birds such as grouse, which gives the plant its common name. People can also enjoy the berries fresh or in baked goods, though they can be difficult to harvest in large quantities.

Spreading by rhizomes, Grouseberry forms dense, broom-like mats that help stabilize soil and prevent erosion, while also providing cover for ground-nesting wildlife. It is commonly found beneath conifers in open forests, subalpine meadows, and occasionally on rocky slopes in mountainous regions. It is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and soil stabilization projects.

Lowbush Cranberry is a short, deciduous shrub native to North America. Its white flowers bear sour but edible fruit that ripens to a brilliant red in fall. Lowbush Cranberry's small size makes it suitable for urban use; buyers will also find it useful if trying to reclaim land back to its original species or when landscaping with native species in damp conditions.

Grouseberry Quick Facts

Lowbush Cranberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: shade, partial shade
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: reddish
Flowers: small pink, bell-shaped
Flowers: white
Bloom time: spring
Berries: small, bright red, edible
Berries: red, edible
Flavor: tart
Harvest: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: dwarf red whortleberry, grouse whortleberry, little-leaved huckleberry, red alpine blueberry, small-leaved huckleberry
Other Names: high bush cranberry, highbush cranberry, mooseberry, moosomin, pembina, pimbina, squashberry