Bunchberry vs Redwing Highbush Cranberry - TreeTime.ca

Bunchberry vs Redwing Highbush Cranberry

Viburnum trilobum JN Select

Cornus canadensis

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Redwing Highbush Cranberry
Bunchberry

The Redwing Highbush Cranberry is a dense multi-stemmed shrub that blooms with white pinwheel shaped flowers in spring. It produces small, red, and edible berries in late summer. Its leaves are green, but the tips become more saturated with red throughout the season, and then turn a stunning crimson colour in the fall.

The Redwing Highbush Cranberry makes a good addition to any urban garden or hedge, and its berries are commonly used to liven up preserves with their tart flavor.

The Bunchberry, or Quatre-Temps as it is commonly known in Quebec, is an excellent ornamental plant to have in your garden. With star-shaped white flowers in spring and clusters of bright red berries in the fall, this is one of the most refined and hardy groundcovers available. The foliage has ornamental value, with leaves going from a deep green in the spring and summer to a beautiful brick-red in the fall.

Bunchberry is a spreading evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. This plant is not well suited for urban areas close to streetsides, as it is quite intolerant to pollution. It is Canada’s national flower.

According to a poll done by the Master Gardeners of Ontario, it is one of the most recognizable Canadian flowers.

Its flowers grow with elastic petals and "fire" its pollen with the force of 2000-3000 times the force of gravity.

Redwing Highbush Cranberry Quick Facts

Bunchberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1b
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.6 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium


Foliage: red tips on leaves
Fall colour: red/orange
Fall colour: brick red
Flowers: white, pinwheel shaped
Flowers: white
Berries: small, red
Berries: small, red
Flavor: sour
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late August-February
Harvest: August/September
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE