Vaccinium macrocarpon
A low-growing evergreen creeping shrub native to North America that forms mats in acidic bogs and yields tart red berries, widely cultivated commercially and important for wetland biodiversity.
Common Names
Cranberry, American Cranberry, Large Cranberry
Summary
Cranberry is a mat-forming evergreen creeping shrub native to boggy, acidic habitats in eastern North America. It forms dense mats via creeping stems, with small glossy leaves, pendant pinkish-white flowers, and bright red tart berries that ripen in early fall; foliage bronzes in spring and turns coppery in winter.
It grows best in full sun to partial shade and moist to wet acidic soils (pH 4.0–5.5), tolerating periodic flooding in cultivated bogs. Hardiness zones 2–7; it is commonly used as a groundcover in wet landscapes and commercially for fruit, with berries processed into juices, sauces, jellies, and dried cranberries.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
4-6 inches
Spread
1-6 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 2a-7b
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun; range from full sun to partial shade.
Soil Type
Acidic, moist, humus-rich bog-like soil with high organic matter
Soil Drainage
Moist, well-drained soil
Soil pH
4.0-5.5
Bloom Color
Pink
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Dark green
Fall Foliage Color
Red, Yellow
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Medium
Seasons of Interest
All four seasons.
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts birds and butterflies
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Aiton
- Publication
- Hort. Kew. 2: 13 (1789)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Ericales
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Subfamily
- Vaccinioideae
- Genus
- Vaccinium
Synonyms
Oxycoccus macrocarpus Oxycoca berberidacea Oxycoca macrocarpa Schollera macrocarpos Schollera macrocarpa Oxycoccus palustris var. macrocarpos