Trader Mulberry vs Small Cranberry

The Trader Mulberry is a rare find. Named for the Trader family who brought the mulberry from Germany when they immigrated to the U.S. in 1982 and planted the original tree at their new homestead in North Dakota. This tree still bears fruit today! Similar to the Illinois Everbearing, but more winter hardy, this mulberry is a cross between white and red mulberry trees. This vigourous tree will produce large, sweet-tasting, virtually-seedless, black fruit throughout the entire summer and is great for fresh eating, jams, and wine. Do not plant near walkways or driveways as the berries can stain.

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.

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