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Bog cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos)
Photo: Christian Fischer, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

On the map in 3 countries dwarf shrub

Bog cranberry

Vaccinium oxycoccos

Family: Ericaceae

On our map this plant appears in 3 countries and ranks highest in: Belarus, Estonia, Russia.

A creeping dwarf shrub with thread-like shoots up to several tens of centimetres long and small evergreen leaves, growing among sphagnum mosses. In summer it produces pink flowers with swept-back petals that resemble a bird’s head and beak – hence the association with the crane in the name “craneberry”. The round, red, sour berries ripen in autumn and are rich in vitamin C and organic acids, so they keep for a long time. They are used for juices, preserves, kissel and fruit liqueurs.

Description from: Belarus.

More: Wikipedia (en) Wikipedia (pl) Plants of the World Online (Kew)

Significance in each country

  1. Belarus no. 5 of 8 native

    Belarus has some of the largest surviving peat bogs in Europe, and the cranberry is their most valuable crop.

  2. Estonia no. 5 of 8 native

    Bogs are among Estonia’s most characteristic landscapes, and cranberry picking is a tradition in many families. Estonians make them into kissel, juices, semolina desserts and accompaniments for meat.

  3. Russia no. 15 of 15 native

    Klyukva is made into mors, kissel and liqueurs, and sauerkraut with cranberries is a classic Russian appetiser.