Small Cranberry vs Round-Leaved Sundew

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.

Round-Leaved Sundew is a native carnivorous plant, easily recognized by its bright green leaves covered in distinctive red, glandular hairs. These hairs secrete a sticky substance that is used to attract, trap, and digest insects. Their carnivorous nature allows them to survive in nutrient-poor, acidic soils where many other plants may struggle to grow.
They produce small white flowers that grow along the top of a slender, leafless stem. They can be found growing in wetlands, most often among sphagnum moss, in consistently moist, acidic soils. It does best in cooler summer climates and is intolerant of shade. Due to its small size, the plant can be difficult to spot in its natural habitat. Round-Leaved Sundew is an indicator of healthy wetland systems and is valued in ecological restoration and conservation projects.

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