Bracted Honeysuckle vs Black Crowberry - TreeTime.ca

Bracted Honeysuckle vs Black Crowberry

Lonicera involucrata

Empetrum nigrum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Bracted Honeysuckle
Black Crowberry

Bracted Honeysuckle is a shade loving shrub that is distinguishable from other honeysuckles by its square stem and pointed leaves. Native to most of North America, this honeysuckle is found along swamps, rivers, riparian zones and moist wooded areas.

If you have a erosion control project in mind, consider Bracted Honeysuckle.

Black Crowberry is a native evergreen shrub that forms low, spreading mats. It has unique foliage that spiral around the stem, and small dark berries, giving it visual appeal. The berries are edible, but can be acidic, so are not generally eaten fresh. In colder climates they have a sweet, tart taste, and are dried, used in deserts, or for making jams or jellies.
It provides food for birds and mammals, while its flowers attract pollinators such as bees. Its ability to grow in harsh climates makes it an important species for ecological balance.
Black Crowberry has historical significance as it provided a vital food source for the indigenous cultures of the arctic regions. It is abundant in Scandinavia and is used to make liqueurs, wines, and juices. In Newfoundland and Labrador the berries are known locally as ‘blackberries’ and are used in jams, jellies and baked goods like buns and puddings.

Bracted Honeysuckle Quick Facts

Black Crowberry Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 3a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 0.4 m (1.3 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, matt-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: medium


Foliage: evergreen needle-like leaves
Flowers: pink-red, very small
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Berries: shiny, purple-black berries produced in pairs
Berries: purplish-black, edible
Flavor: bland, slightly bitter
Harvest: late summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NU
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: bearberry honeysuckle, black twinberry, twinberry
Other Names: crakeberry, curlewberry, heathberry, northern crowberry