Rose Glow Barberry vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Rose Glow Barberry vs Bilberry

Berberis thunbergii Rose Glow

Vaccinium myrtillus

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Rose Glow Barberry
Bilberry

Rose Glow Barberry is a cold hardy, drought tolerant shrub. It has attractive, mottled foliage that ranges from red, pink, green, and white, maturing to deep maroon.

Rose Glow Barberry has sharp thorns, so be careful when you're handling this shrub. These thorns are what make Rose Glow Barberry an excellent hedge plant as they deter rabbit and deer.

Bilberry is a native perennial shrub valued for its small, blue-black berries that ripen in mid to late summer. The berries resemble blueberries but have a richer, more tart, and intense flavor. They have long been used for fresh eating, baking, and preserves, while also providing food for birds and mammals. In spring, its delicate pinkish flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

Growing low to the ground, Bilberry forms spreading colonies that create dense understory cover. This growth habit provides food and shelter for wildlife, and its foliage adds seasonal interest by turning red to purple in autumn. With its adaptability and ecological benefits, Bilberry is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and pollinator gardens.

Rose Glow Barberry Quick Facts

Bilberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses
Flowers: pink/purple flower
Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: summer
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry