Trader Mulberry vs Grouseberry - TreeTime.ca

Trader Mulberry vs Grouseberry

Morus x Trader

Vaccinium scoparium

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

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Grouseberry

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.

Grouseberry is a native, low-growing deciduous shrub known for its edible red berries. In early summer, it produces small, urn-shaped flowers ranging from white to pink that attract bees and other pollinators. The berries provide an important food source for many types of wildlife, including game birds such as grouse, which gives the plant its common name. People can also enjoy the berries fresh or in baked goods, though they can be difficult to harvest in large quantities.

Spreading by rhizomes, Grouseberry forms dense, broom-like mats that help stabilize soil and prevent erosion, while also providing cover for ground-nesting wildlife. It is commonly found beneath conifers in open forests, subalpine meadows, and occasionally on rocky slopes in mountainous regions. It is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and soil stabilization projects.

Trader Mulberry Quick Facts

Grouseberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3b
Zone: 2a
Height: 15 m (50 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: shade, partial shade
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: reddish
Flowers: small pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: spring
Berries: black seedless, large
Berries: small, bright red, edible
Flavor: sweet
Flavor: tart
Harvest: Early July - Early September
Harvest: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: mulberry, red mulberry
Other Names: dwarf red whortleberry, grouse whortleberry, little-leaved huckleberry, red alpine blueberry, small-leaved huckleberry