# 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! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Cowberry ![Lingonberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Vaccinium_vitis-idaea_20060824_003.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jonas Bergsten, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vaccinium_vitis-idaea_20060824_003.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Vaccinium ## 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 - **Winter Warrior:** Lingonberry has tough, waxy leaves that stay green, allowing it to make food all through cold, snowy winters. - **Super Spreader:** Lingonberry can send out underground stems, allowing it to quickly form wide, dense patches of plants. - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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. - **Shelter:** [Scots Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scots-pine) (*Pinus sylvestris*) — Often grows beneath its protective canopy. ## Traits - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Cold Hardy](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cold-hardy): Cold hardy plants are able to withstand low temperatures and freezing conditions without significant damage. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before picking and eating wild berries. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lingonberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### 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 ## Where to spot - [Carriage Paths, Bridges and Gatehouses](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carriage-paths-bridges-and-gatehouses) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Chicken Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chicken-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Gakona Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gakona-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Bremner Historic Mining District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bremner-historic-mining-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Great Wass Island Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-wass-island-preserve) — Maine, US · Nature Reserve - [Guard Island Light](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guard-island-light) — US · Historic District [View all places to see Lingonberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/lingonberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Lingonberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lingonberry)