Pinky Winky Hydrangea vs Small Cranberry - TreeTime.ca

Pinky Winky Hydrangea vs Small Cranberry

Vaccinium oxycoccos

Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Small Cranberry
Pinky Winky Hydrangea

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.

Pinky Winky Hydrangea is an adaptable and tolerant hydrangea variety with unusual flowers. In late summer, clusters of white blooms emerge, transforming to shades of pink and white. This two-toned effect is outstanding and will make a stunning flowering addition to your yard.

Try Pinky Winky Hydrangea in mass plantings or as an accent plant on its own, just make sure you mulch the root system to help insulate in colder climates.

Small Cranberry Quick Facts

Pinky Winky Hydrangea Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.1 m (0.2 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade
Moisture: wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: creeping, ground cover
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, layering - medium
Suckering: high
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: small, leathery, evergreen
Fall colour: red purple
Flowers: pink, nodding with reflexed petals
Flowers: pink flowers with white tips
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