Vaccinium macrocarpon

Vaccinium macrocarpon is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.2 m by 2 m at a medium rate.
It is hardy to zone 2. It is in leaf all year, in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light and medium soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It can grow in semi-shade or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.

Requires a moist or semi-boggy lime free soil, preferring one that is rich in peat or a light loamy soil with added leaf-mould. Prefers a very acid soil with a pH in the range of 4 to 4.5, plants soon become chlorotic when lime is present. Plants grow best in a poor soil, richer soils result in extra foliage production at the expense of fruit. Succeeds in full sun or light shade though it fruits better in a sunny position. Requires shelter from strong winds. A very dwarf shrub producing long slender creeping stems that root into the soil. Upright stems grow from the axillary buds in the second year and these upright stems flower and fruit the following year. Widely cultivated for its edible fruit in N. America, there are many named varieties. Cultivated plants are usually grown in artificial bogs that are often flooded in the winter. Plants can self-fertilize but cross-fertilization by insects results in higher yields. Cultivated plants take about 5 years to come into full bearing but will then crop well for 60 - 100 years. Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. An evergreen. The root pattern is flat with shallow roots forming a plate near the soil surface . The root pattern is stoloniferous rooting from creeping stems above the ground .