Limelight Hydrangea vs Small Cranberry - TreeTime.ca

Limelight Hydrangea vs Small Cranberry

Vaccinium oxycoccos

Hydrangea paniculata Limelight

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Small Cranberry
Limelight Hydrangea

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.

Limelight Hydrangea is a flowering shrub that is known for its green flowers. As they mature, the flower colour changes from a pale green to a creamy white, followed by shades of pink and red. Hydrangea flowers persist longer compared to other flowering shrubs, blooming from late July into fall. They are a popular choice for flower arrangements.

The Limelight Hydrangea can be grown as a stand alone shrub, as a hedge, or incorporated into a flower garden. Blooms occur on new wood, so regular pruning is encouraged in late winter. This is an award winner from the Proven Winners® collection.

Small Cranberry Quick Facts

Limelight Hydrangea Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.1 m (0.2 ft)
Height: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: any
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: creeping, ground cover
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, layering - medium
Suckering: none


Toxicity: toxic to dogs, cats, and horses
Foliage: small, leathery, evergreen
Flowers: pink, nodding with reflexed petals
Flowers: greenish white
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Berries: small red cranberries, edible
Flavor: tart
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, PE
Other Names: marshberry, small bog cranberry, swamp cranberry
Other Names: limelight panicle hydrangea