American cranberry
Quick Summary
The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is a trailing plant belonging to the Vaccinium genus, known for its tart, edible red fruit. These plants have wiry, creeping stems and small, evergreen leaves. Their bell-shaped flowers bloom in June, followed by round, crimson berries that ripen in September and have an acidic taste.12
Cranberries are cultivated in acidic soils, often peat or vegetable mold, with a sand top layer. Major growing regions in the United States include Massachusetts, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Washington, and Oregon. The berries are harvested from early September to late October, often by flooding the fields and scooping the floating fruits.2
The American cranberry is the most commercially significant species, found wild in the northeastern United States. Other related fruits, like the lingonberry and southern cranberry, are also known but are not as widely cultivated.2
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