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Lingonberry

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Lingonberries are small, red berries that grow on low bushes. They are tart and tasty, and many people like to use them in jams and desserts!

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Lingonberry is a low-growing evergreen shrub with small, leathery, dark green leaves that are often glossy. It produces delicate, bell-shaped flowers that range from white to pale pink, which mature into bright, shiny red berries that often persist through winter.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderEricalesFamilyEricaceaeGenusVaccinium
Lingonberry
shrub trait badgecold_hardy trait badgeevergreen trait badgefruit_bearing trait badge
Lingonberry

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Its super-sour berries can stay fresh on the plant all winter long!

Lingonberries are relatives to your favorite blueberries and cranberries!

Some lingonberry plants can actually produce two harvests of berries in one year!

These tiny berries are sometimes called the 'red pearls of the forest'.

Special abilities

Ability

Winter Warrior

Lingonberry has tough, waxy leaves that stay green, allowing it to make food all through cold, snowy winters.

Ability

Super Spreader

Lingonberry can send out underground stems, allowing it to quickly form wide, dense patches of plants.

Ability

Acid Lover

Lingonberry has special roots that help it thrive in acidic soil where other plants struggle.

Measurements & details

Height
10-40 cm
Spread
20-60 cm
Flower Size
0.5-1 cm
Bloom Season
Late spring to early summer
Edible
Yes
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

eats

Brown Bear

Ursus arctos

Feasts on ripe lingonberries for energy.

eats

Capercaillie

Tetrao urogallus

Consumes lingonberry leaves and berries.

pollinates

Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Bombus terrestris

Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen.

eats

Reindeer

Rangifer tarandus

Graze on its evergreen leaves in winter.

shelters

Scots Pine

Pinus sylvestris

Often grows beneath its protective canopy.

Traits

Also known as

Cowberry

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before picking and eating wild berries.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is Lingonberry?

10-40 cm

How wide does Lingonberry spread?

20-60 cm

How big are the flowers on Lingonberry?

0.5-1 cm

When does Lingonberry bloom?

Late spring to early summer

Is Lingonberry edible?

Yes

Is Lingonberry toxic?

None

What is Lingonberry's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is Lingonberry pollinated?

Insect

Snap Map

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Where to spot

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