Bearberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Bearberry:
Previously known as:
- Oxycoccus macrocarpus
- Phonetic Spelling
- vak-SIN-ee-um ma-kro-KAR-pum
- Description
-
Large Cranberry is native low-growing vine, ground cover or trailing evergreen shrub and is usually grown in wet bog conditions. They spread by rhizomes and can be difficult to transplant. Requirements are full sun and moist but well-drained soils and they can tolerate periodic flooding. Soil pH needs to be 4.0-5.2. The plants are grown commercially as a food crop and the berries mature in August-November. This plant is intolerant of heat and drought.
Ornamentally it can be used as a ground cover for boggy or marshy areas with acidic soils.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Cranberries are subject to chlorosis problems if soil pH is too high.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Pilgrim'
Larger fruit, ripens later - 'Thunderlake'
Taller, less spreading, can be grown similar to blueberries
- 'Pilgrim'
- 'Pilgrim', 'Thunderlake'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Pilgrim'
Larger fruit, ripens later - 'Thunderlake'
Taller, less spreading, can be grown similar to blueberries
- 'Pilgrim'
- 'Pilgrim', 'Thunderlake'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Vaccinium
- Species:
- macrocarpon
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Was and continues to be a food source for Native Americans.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- NE North America
- Distribution:
- USA: CA, CT, DE, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV Canada: NB, NL, NS, ON, PE, QC
- Wildlife Value:
- Berries are eaten by birds and small mammals and it also attracts pollinators. Members of the genus Vaccinium support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Conandrena) bradleyi, Andrena (Andrena) carolina, Panurginus atramontensis, Habropoda laboriosa, Colletes productus, Colletes validus, and Osmia (Melanosmia) virga.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Edibility:
- Edible berries
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 4 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Ground Cover
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Vine
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Horizontal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/2 inch round red fruit in late summer to mid-fall (August-November).
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Showy small fuchsia pink flower stalks develop from stem tips Each bloom has four thin white petals that are acutely reflexed, exposing a dark, elongated central cone of 8-10 fused stamens. They bloom from May to July.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Small glossy leaves are bronze in spring and green in summer. Undersides are whitish. Fall color varies from copper to purple.
-
-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Bark Description:
- The bark of an adult plant is thin and smooth
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Wet Soil
