Vaccinium vitus-idaea

Botanical Name: Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Common Name: lingonberry, cowberry
Family Name: Ericaceae
Distribution/Origin: Northern Hemisphere from Eurasia to North America

Description:
Vaccinium vitis-idaea spreads by underground stems to form dense clonal colonies. It is a short evergreen shrub in the heath family that bears edible fruit. Slender and brittle roots grow from the underground stems. The stems are rounded in cross-section and grow from 10 to 40 cm in height. Leaves grow alternately and are oval, 5–30 mm long, with a slightly wavy margin, and sometimes with a notched tip. Vaccinium vitis-idaea keeps its leaves all winter even in the coldest years, unusual for a broad-leaved plant, though in its natural habitat it is usually protected from severe cold by snow cover. It is extremely hardy, tolerating temperatures as low as −40 °C (−40 °F) or lower, but grows poorly where summers are hot. It prefers some shade (as from a forest canopy) and constantly moist, acidic soil. Nutrient-poor soils are tolerated but not alkaline soils.

Flowers:

The flowers are bell-shaped, white to pale pink, 3–8 mm long, and produced in the early summer.

Fruit:
The fruit is a red berry 6–10 mm across, Edible/acidic taste, ripening in late summer to autumn

Soil: Acidic, well-drained
Moisture: Low, Moderate
Sun: Partial sun
Exposure: Partials shade

Landscape uses: 
Shrub, Ground cover, Urban agriculture, Wildlife food

Notes:
The berries collected in the wild are a popular fruit in northern, central and eastern Europe, notably in Nordic countries. 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, but in this condition, they are best preserved frozen.