Annabelle Hydrangea vs Small Cranberry - TreeTime.ca

Annabelle Hydrangea vs Small Cranberry

Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle

Vaccinium oxycoccos

CUSTOM GROW

Annabelle Hydrangea
Small Cranberry

Annabelle Hydrangea is a cold hardy shrub that is well known for its large, compact clusters of white flowers. Unlike other flowering species, Hydrangeas do best in partial shade. However, they are capable of growing in full sun if the soil is kept consistently moist.

Blooms occur on new wood, so regular pruning is encouraged in late winter. Try Annabelle Hydrangea as a border or on its own.

Small Cranberry is a native evergreen groundcover found in bogs, fens, and wet meadows. It produces delicate pink flowers that attract a variety of pollinators, including bees, and it serves as both a nectar source and host plant for the Bog Fritillary (Boloria eunomia) butterfly. By late summer, the plant bears deep red berries that are eaten by both wildlife and people. With their high pectin content, the berries are well-suited for making jams and jellies.

Often creeping among sphagnum moss, Small Cranberry thrives in cold, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils (pH 2.9–4.7), making it well adapted to northern wetland environments. With its woody stems, it is technically classified as a shrub and often described as a subshrub or dwarf shrub. It is also valuable for wetland restoration and naturalisation projects.

Note: We use Small Cranberry for Vaccinium oxycoccos. This species is also known by many other common names, including Bog Cranberry, Small Bog Cranberry, and others. Please confirm the scientific name to ensure you are ordering the correct plant.

Annabelle Hydrangea Quick Facts

Small Cranberry Quick Facts

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Zone: 3a
Zone: 1b
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.1 m (0.2 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade
Light: any
Moisture: normal
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: creeping, ground cover
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, layering - medium
Suckering: medium


Foliage: small, leathery, evergreen
Flowers: white, showy clusters
Flowers: pink, nodding with reflexed petals
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Berries: small red cranberries, edible
Flavor: tart
Harvest: late summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: marshberry, small bog cranberry, swamp cranberry