Patriot Blueberry vs Black Crowberry - TreeTime.ca

Patriot Blueberry vs Black Crowberry

Vaccinium corymbosum Patriot

Empetrum nigrum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Patriot Blueberry
Black Crowberry

The Patriot Blueberry offers the largest fruit of all the early season blueberries and thrives in an acidic soil with a low pH. With fruit that can easily grow to the size of a quarter, you'll be known for having the largest blueberries for miles. The Patriot Blueberry is ideal for fresh eating, baking, and preserving. Cold hardy and self-pollinating, the Patriot Blueberry is also resistant to root rot.

Black Crowberry is a native evergreen shrub that forms low, spreading mats. It has unique foliage that spirals around the stem, and small dark berries, giving it visual appeal. The berries are edible, but can be acidic, so they are not generally eaten fresh. In colder climates, the berries develop a sweet-tart flavor and are often dried or used in desserts, jams, and jellies.

This hardy shrub provides food for birds and mammals, while its flowers attract pollinators such as bees. It also serves as a host plant for certain butterflies and moths. Together, these roles make it a key contributor to the health of tundra and boreal ecosystems.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, the berries are known locally as ‘blackberries’ and are enjoyed in jams, jellies, and traditional baked goods such as buns and puddings. In Scandinavia, they continue to be used in liqueurs, wines, and juices.

Patriot Blueberry Quick Facts

Black Crowberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 0.4 m (1.3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
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
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: evergreen needle-like leaves
Fall colour: red to deep red
Flowers: white, pink tinged
Flowers: pink-red, very small
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Berries: edible blue
Berries: purplish-black, edible
Firmness: firm
Flavor: sweet, mild
Flavor: bland, slightly bitter
Harvest: July
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
Other Names: patriot highbush blueberry, patriot northern highbush blueberry
Other Names: crakeberry, curlewberry, heathberry, northern crowberry