Riverbank Grape vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Riverbank Grape vs Bilberry

Vaccinium myrtillus

Vitis riparia

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Bilberry
Riverbank Grape

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.

The Riverbank Grape, also known as the Frost Grape, or Wild Grape, is a cold-hardy variety that produces fragrant white flowers in the spring and then tart, purple grapes late in the summer.

The Riverbank Grape is a vigorous grower that attracts lots of wildlife, who enjoy the fruit and flowers. This plant is native to North America, and is also highly resistant to fungal diseases, making this a great addition to your city gardens. This plant does best with a trellis.

Note: We do not ship grape vines to BC due to regulatory restrictions from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Bilberry Quick Facts

Riverbank Grape Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: long
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: none

Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses

Bark: yellow-red to brown
Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Flowers: fragrant white
Bloom time: summer
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Berries: purple
Firmness: firm
Flavor: sweet
Flavor: tart
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Harvest: late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: MB, ON, QC, NB
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry
Other Names: frost grape, wild grape