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American Cranberry

American Cranberry

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Item #3944. Ships in a 3.5" Pot.
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Description

Harvest your own Thanksgiving treats! Hardy, low-maintenance, evergreen shrub makes an excellent ground cover. Produces large, tart berries perfect for making holiday meals, cookies, muffins and more. Also enjoyed in spring, for its lovely pink flowers. Requires low-pH, acidic soil. Cold-hardy. Ripens in late-September through October. Self-pollinating. (Vaccinium macrocarpon)

Characteristics

Bloom Color Pink, White
Fruit Color Red
Fruit Size Large
Pollination Self-pollinating
Ripens/Harvest Late September To October
Shade/Sun Full Sun
Soil Composition Loamy
Soil Moisture Average Moistness
Soil pH Level 4.5 - 5.5
Taste Good/tart
Texture Firm
Years to Bear 2 - 3
Zone Range 2 - 7

Zone Compatibility

This Variety's Zone Range 2 - 7
My Hardiness Zone ?
The USDA hardiness zones offer a guide to varieties that will grow well in certain climates. Each zone corresponds to the minimum winter temperatures experienced in a given area. Make sure that your hardiness zone lies within the zone compatability range of this variety before ordering.

Size & Spacing

Mature Size

When your plant matures, it will be approximately 8 - 10" tall x 2 - 3' wide.

Recommended Spacing

We recommend spacing these plants 2 - 3' apart to ensure room for growth.

Pollination

This variety is self pollinating.

In many cases, you may still want to plant pollinating partners to increase the size of your crops, but with self-pollinating varieties doing so is optional. You'll get fruit with only one plant!

Tools & Supplies

Having the proper tools and supplies when growing your own can make the difference between a good harvest and a great harvest! Here's a list that our experts recommend for this variety.

Planting & Care

Learn all about how to grow cranberry plants in The Growing Guide. An entire section of our website dedicated to your growing success.

Read about how to grow cranberry plants »

Shipping Information

Estimated Delivery Date

Get an estimated delivery date »

You don't pay until it ships.

We work hard to make sure that your order arrives at the ideal time for planting in your location. That's why we only ship living products during certain times of the year. Order now and your credit card won't be charged until your climate is suitable for planting success and your order is shipped.

Our Promise of Satisfaction

1 Year Warranty

Every order comes with our promise of satisfaction. If you aren't completely satisfied with your order, let us know within one year for a free one-time replacement or refund.

Tags

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Questions & Answers

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Browse 9 questions Browse 9 questions and 27 answers
Why did you choose this?
Stark Bro's Store
Evergreen, low-pH loving berry plant. Plus, love cranberry relish.
Terri V on Aug 24, 2019
The idea of making my own cranberry sauce for the holidays with homegrown berries, couldn???t pass it up. For a good price too.
Michelle G on May 21, 2019
Evergreen, low-pH loving berry plant. Plus, love cranberry relish.
Terri V on Aug 24, 2019
Because I thought it would make great groundcover.
L F on Aug 7, 2019
The idea of making my own cranberry sauce for the holidays with homegrown berries, couldn???t pass it up. For a good price too.
Michelle G on May 21, 2019
Best fruit ever!?!?!!
Patrick D on May 16, 2019
These plants will be a ground cover in an area that is periodically wet.
Kathleen B on Apr 28, 2019
Want it!
Ben C on Mar 15, 2019
Wanted to try these on a small embankment.
Rebecca A on Mar 13, 2019
I use pounds and pounds of cranberries in the fall for baking, making jelly and in soups, etc. I wanted to see if I could grow my own.
Kirsten H on Apr 2, 2017
I plan to plant with my blueberry bushes, liking the similar acidic soil. I like the idea of having plants and landscaping that provide more than just looks, I can't wait to harvest my own cranberries for thanksgiving dinner!
ROBYN T on Mar 5, 2017
as an experiment to introduce a cranberry garden, worked very well, small crop first year but increased this past year to what we were looking for
carol g on Nov 24, 2016
Need a ground cover. Thought this would be an interesting, edible alternative
CHRISTINE W on Sep 18, 2016
I bought two of these last fall and they did GREAT! And the best part is the birds and squirrels leave them alone!
NICOLE R on Sep 4, 2016
I will plant this at the base of my blueberries. They both need moist conditions and acid soil so it should be a good combination.
Carleen R on Jul 29, 2016
Wanted to try growing cranberries as a ground cover.
GARY O on May 15, 2016
Aside from the fun of producing our own makings for cranberry sauce, we think planting cranberries beneath our apple trees will help in their good health. If we have much problem with woodland critters eating the berries, we plan to plant carpet roses among them. Should be some fun fall harvesting.
ARLENE S on May 6, 2016
Want to see if we can grow them well here; I hope so.
Eric and Olivia B on May 4, 2016
use cranberry in baking and love them thought this would be something we could use instead of store bought
ROGER K on Mar 15, 2016
Experiment and hardiness
RANDALL R on Mar 6, 2016
Because I thought it would make great groundcover.
L F on Aug 7, 2019
Best fruit ever!?!?!!
Patrick D on May 16, 2019
Do these spread (like blackberries and mint) or stay a single plant?
Are they ok in part shade or do they need the full afternoon sun?
Kim G on May 12, 2018
BEST ANSWER: They spread by rhizomes (like iris) and require full sun.
Can these be planted in a low area that holds water for awhile after rains?
Katherine D on Mar 24, 2019
Can you plant these as groundcover around blueberries?
Audrey G on Mar 13, 2019
BEST ANSWER: Yes that is a great way to use cranberries, that being said cranberries are vary sensitive to soil conditions. If you have good soil for blueberries it will work for cranberries. The only issue that you can run into is that blueberries like well draining soil but cranberries prefer damp soil. While my blueberries thrive my cranberries just do alright. If you are open to recommendations try the Lingon berry, similar to cranberry but better results.
Stark's description for cultivating cranberries says "full sun." In my 6B zone, full sun often can be blistering. Can "full sun" in a southern zone mean "full sun with northern exposure" rather than other orientations?
Sandy C on Feb 22, 2019
BEST ANSWER: If the tree or plant is in your zone, it will do OK, no matter what the exposure. Cranberries do need full sun to fruit and can take periods of summer heat.
I've read that some cranberry varieties can get quite tall, 5 feet or so. I'm assuming this is a dwarf variety?
new purchase on May 4, 2017
BEST ANSWER: This is actually closer to being a groundcover. It is a different species/variety than highbush cranberries, which are what you are describing.
What is the yield?
Melody N on Jul 28, 2019
BEST ANSWER: Under good growing conditions, one plant yields one to 1.5 pounds, but can yield up to 3 pounds in fertile, acidic soil that is continually moist and gets full sun.
Can cranberries be grown in a container?
Linda C on Mar 10, 2019
BEST ANSWER: They can, though keep in mind that this is a low-growing plant, almost like a groundcover. You would also need to assure that the soil is acidic enough, with a pH of between 4.0 and 5.5.
How much do they produce?
Tavi R on Jan 17, 2017
BEST ANSWER: You can expect an average of 1-1.5 lbs. of fruit per established productive plant and as many as 3 lbs. in a good year from established mature plants.

Customer Reviews

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3.4 / 5.0
10 Reviews
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1
Beautiful, easy-to-grow bushes
I planted these bushes along the fence of our goat pasture and they have created a lovely hedge, In spring they have small light pink blossoms; in summer the leaves are a deep green; and in the fall - even into winter - they are covered in clumps of bright red berries.

We make jelly and cranberry sauce from the berries and we share extra berries with the goats and chickens. The berries taste best if we wait to harvest them until after there has been a real frost. Unlike some of our other bushes and trees, we haven't had any serious problems with deer browsing on our American cranberry bushes.
May 11, 2016
Purchased
 over 4 years ago
Great cranberry
The southern Midwest is not a place anyone associates with cranberry bushes. I planted 2 American cranberry bushes in June 2017. One was trampled by the dog & the other made it through the summer & fall. I didn't flood the cranberry bed for winter as it is probably not necessary. The leaves turned reddish-purple in winter & I wasn't sure if the plant survived. As spring 2018 rolled around, the leaves turned green again & the plant has really spread out. No cranberries yet, but they don't usually grow until the 3rd or 4th year. To my pleasant surprise, the 2nd plant survived & is thriving as well. They take some time to grow & they are worth it. I definitely recommend.
June 27, 2018
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
Meh
Second time ive tried these, no luck, did get one cranberry but doesn’t look like they survived winter, and it’s New England this is cranberry country. Maybe if they sold bigger more mature plants I might try again.
April 16, 2018
Purchased
 over 3 years ago
Very slow
They are very slow growing, I may have them in a to damp of a area.
May 9, 2017
Purchased
 over 3 years ago
Plants are growing well
We have grown cranberries previously. These plants are doing very well, expanding their vines nicely. I cover them during winter with a floating row
cover to prevent soil heaving, to protect the roots. This year we expect
a moderate harvest...
May 16, 2019
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
Cranberries
Cranberries are growing great. They get a fair amount of sun (between a house, a fence, and fruit trees around them). Deer are much more interested in the fruit trees than the cranberry bushes. Have a lot of flowers ready to bloom. Had them for a year and they survived the Michigan (zone 5) winter covered up with translucent green buckets (lots of wind and didn't want them to get dried out), water added during above freezing temperature periods, and no other maintenance required. They do need to be watered every day to every other day and if one does not have a bog, can create one easily (dig 1.5ft diameter and deep hole, fill with clean sand, plant cranberry plant, and put a little top soil around the base of the plant. If it gets too warm, I may put lava rock around them to keep the water in (acts similar to mulch)). Love the product, have seven and looking to get two more. Just remember, they take a year to root (so will not get much of a crop the first year).
June 9, 2019
They're Baascckkkk
While my kiwis perished over the Minnesota winter, my cranberries are doing well this spring. Hopefully to have a small crop this year.
May 19, 2017
Purchased
 over 3 years ago
Grows Slowly
One of the two plants I received died, and the other one is growing very slowly.
May 19, 2016
Purchased
 over 4 years ago
American Cranberry
Maybe I'm not much of a gardener but it basically died right away so...
August 23, 2016
Purchased
 over 4 years ago
Have not grown an inch in about 1 year.
Can you please tell me why my cranberries are not growing? They are planted in 20 gallon tubs and not growing.
August 24, 2018
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
Response from Stark Bro's
Thank you for leaving your review. The American Cranberry is a very shallow rooted plant and when it matures, it will be approximately 8 - 10" tall. Ideally, your cranberries need a soil pH between 4.5-5.5, therefore, you might need to check the soils pH level. If you have any other questions or concerns please email us at info@starkbros.com or call customer support at 800.325.4180. Your planting success is important to us!
August 31, 2018
Tabitha R

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