crowberry

crowberry, (genus Empetrum), genus of three species of low evergreen shrubs of the heath family (Ericaceae). The plants thrive in subarctic, alpine, and boreal regions and produce juicy edible fruits that are somewhat acidic in taste. The fruits are an important food source for numerous species of songbirds and waterfowl as well as bears, voles, and other mammals. They have a long history of use by indigenous peoples as a food and medicine. Crowberries grow...