Lingonberry / Partridgeberry / Mountain cranberry

Plant family

Heidekrautgewächse (Ericaceae) (Ericaceae)

Synonyms

Cowberry

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Wet

Soil

Light (sandy)

Nutrient requirement

Low

Seeding distance

32 cm

Row spacing

32 cm

Seeding depth

15 cm

Instructions

Description

Cranberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), like blueberries and mossberries, belong to the heather family (Ericaceae). It is also called cranberry, cranberry, grantlberry or red bilberry. It occurs naturally on acid soils in bogs, heaths and forests. The plants grow between 10-30 cm tall. Grows ground-covering. Forms white-pink bell-shaped flowers in May-June, from which the light red fruits, about 0.5-1 cm in size, form in August and September. They can be eaten raw and have an aromatic, tart-sour taste. Cranberries differ from cranberries in their growth, and the berries of cranberries are slightly larger and lighter in color than those of cranberries. There are also ornamental varieties of cranberries, which taste quite sour, so cultivated cranberries should rather be grown for consumption.

Growing tips

Need acidic soil with a pH of 4-5, so mix in acidic compost or blueberry or rhododendron soil, or immediately dig a hole and fill it with fresh acidic soil. Too high pH leads to chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves) and the death of the plants. Soils rich in lime are also unsuitable. Can also be planted in a pot. Hardy to -22°C. A layer of mulch keeps the soil acidic longer and prevents evaporation. Remove weeds regularly, as the cranberry is weak in competition.