Mountain cranberry

Mountain Cranberry is a common name for several plants and may refer to:

• Vaccinium vitis-idaea, also known as lingonberry, partridgeberry, or cowberry
• Vaccinium erythrocarpum, also known as southern mountain cranberry

Description

The Mountain Cranberry is a small evergreen shrub in the heath family that bears edible fruit. The species is native to boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Eurasia to North America.

Habitat

Mountain Cranberries are found in a variety of habitats, from arctic tundra to open forests, and even disturbed areas such as burnt forests or open ditches.

Uses

The berries are quite tart, so they are often cooked and sweetened before eating in the form of lingonberry jam, compote, juice, smoothie or syrup. The raw fruits are also frequently simply mashed with sugar, which preserves most of their nutrients and taste. This mix can be stored at room temperature in closed but not necessarily sealed containers.

Cultivation

Cultivation of the Mountain Cranberry is often done in farm fields, but they can also be found growing wild in their native habitats. They prefer acidic soil and plenty of sunlight.

See also

• Cranberry
• Vaccinium

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