Kent Strawberry vs Black Crowberry - TreeTime.ca

Kent Strawberry vs Black Crowberry

Fragaria ananassa Kent

Empetrum nigrum

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Kent Strawberry
Black Crowberry

Kent Strawberry is a favourite of urban gardeners and commercial growers. This June Bearing (Short Day) strawberry grows well on the prairies and produces high yields of bright red fruit that bursts with flavour. Great for fresh eating or try them in your next batch of jam or baking.

One of the most cold hardy strawberries!

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.

Kent Strawberry Quick Facts

Black Crowberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 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: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, matt-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: evergreen needle-like leaves
Flowers: pink-red, very small
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Berries: cherry red
Berries: purplish-black, edible
Firmness: firm
Flavor: bland, slightly bitter
Harvest: June
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: crakeberry, curlewberry, heathberry, northern crowberry