Northern Red Currant vs Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry) - TreeTime.ca

Northern Red Currant vs Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry)

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Ribes triste

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry)
Northern Red Currant

Bog Cranberry is a native, ground cover species. These plants generally produce one crop per year in summer. Plants may spread 3 feet in width forming a dense mat which makes it attractive as an ornamental ground cover.

Wild crops of Bog Cranberry are harvested each year in Newfoundland (more than 200,000 lbs/yr). Harvest of wild fruit can no longer keep up with demand. In Europe, 80 million pounds per year of this crop is grown or harvested from the wild.

Bog Cranberry flowers are similar in shape to those of blueberry and may be white or pink in color. These berries are considered to be highly flavored but not as tart as cranberries.

Check out our YouTube video of this plant in the fall: Fall Bog Cranberry.

The Northern Red Currant is also known as the Swamp Red currant due to its preference for moist soil. As long as the soil is wet, this shrub can live in any degree of sunlight.

The currant itself is a bright red-purple berry enjoyed by many animals and some people for its sour flavour, similar to garden red currants. The flowers of this shrub are tiny and red or greenish-purple.

Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry) Quick Facts

Northern Red Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1a
Height: 0.2 m (0.7 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: tart, cranberry-like
Berries: shiny, sour, bright red
Flowers: white or pink
Flowers: reddish or greenish purple
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: low
Suckering: none




Other Names: cowberry, dry ground cranberry, fox berry, foxberry, lingonberry, northern mountain cranberry, partridgeberry, rock cranberry, wolf berry, wolf-berry
Other Names: swamp red currant