Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry) vs Common Saskatoon (Serviceberry) - TreeTime.ca

Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry) vs Common Saskatoon (Serviceberry)

Amelanchier alnifolia

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Common Saskatoon (Serviceberry)
Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry)

Common Saskatoon is a native shrub that's famous for its great-tasting fruit. The berries are terrific for fresh eating and cooking. The Saskatoon bush itself can be quite large and produces an abundance of fruit. Saskatoons are hardy and can tolerate partial shade and a variety of growing conditions.

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.

Common Saskatoon (Serviceberry) Quick Facts

Bog Cranberry (Lingonberry) Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 2a
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.7 ft)
Spread: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: low


Flowers: white or pink
Berries: purple-blue
Berries: tart, cranberry-like
Firmness: firm
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: common serviceberry, wild saskatoon, wild serviceberry
Other Names: cowberry, dry ground cranberry, fox berry, foxberry, lingonberry, northern mountain cranberry, partridgeberry, rock cranberry, wolf berry, wolf-berry