Lingonberry
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
An evergreen groundcover with tart red berries.
Hardiness: zones 2 to 7
Light: part shade
Size: about 1 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Harvest: August to September
From: Northern Europe
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food.
Native to: Alaska, Eastern Canada, Western Canada, Northeast, Northern Europe & the taiga. Hardy in zones 2 to 7.
The story
Lingonberries carpet the pine forests of Scandinavia, Finland and Russia and have been gathered by everyone from the Sámi to Swedish schoolchildren; the jam is on every Nordic table with meatballs and pancakes. In North America the same plant is the partridgeberry of Newfoundland and Alaska's lowbush cranberry.
Planting
Part shade or sun in cool climates, acid, peaty, drained soil; it fails in heat and lime. Plant in spring as a low groundcover, 12 inches apart.
Growing
Keep moist with rainwater or acidified water, mulch with pine needles, and feed sparingly. It spreads slowly by runners.
Harvest and use
Two small crops, summer and autumn; pick when deep red. Tart raw, perfect simmered with sugar for a few minutes.
What to watch for
Hot summers, drought, and limy soil or water.
See if Lingonberry fits your yard
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More berries and small fruit
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home