Small Cranberry, Lingonberries
Vaccinium oxycoccus

Family: Ericaceae

What it is like

A creeping shrub. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 10-40 cm long. It has fine woody stems. The leaves are alternate and simple. They are thick, oval and dark shiny green above. They are 5 mm long and the edges are rolled under. The flowers are pink and small. They are 5 mm across and occur as 1-4 together on nodding stalks. The fruit are red. They are 6-8 mm across.

They have health benefits.

Where it is found

It grows in subarctic and alpine places. It grows on sphagnum moss and in bog forests. It does best in a soil with pH 2.9-3.8. It is more cold tolerant than Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpum).

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Asia, Australia, Belarus, Britain, Canada, Caucasus, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Europe, Finland, Georgia, Greenland, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North America, Norway, Poland, Russia, Scandinavia, Sweden, Ukraine, USA

How it is used for food

The fruit are used for jellies, sauces, drinks, pies and preserves. They are added to sauerkraut. The leaves are used as tea.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves - tea, seeds - oil

How it is grown

It can be grown from cuttings or rooted runners.

Its other names

Local names

Bog cranberry, Buckberry, European Cranberry, Dzervene, Garbalo, Karbala, Karpalo, Kliukva, Klukva, Kuremari, Moorberry, Mossberry, Spiceberry, Tranebaer, Veenbes, Zhuravina, Zuraviny

Synonyms

Oxycoccus hagerupii A. Love & D. Love; Oxycoccus microcarpus Turcz. ex Rupr.; Oxycoccus palustris Pers.; Oxycoccus quadripetalus Gilib.; Vaccinium hagerupii (A. Love & D. Love) Ahokas; Vaccinium microcarpum (Turcz. ex Rupr.) Schmalh.; Vaccinium palustre Salisb.