Vaccinium macrocarpon grow and care – subshrub of the genus Vaccinium also known as Cranberries macrocarpon, Vaccinium macrocarpon perennial evergreen plant also used as ornamental ground cover plant, grow in temperate climate and growing in hardiness zone 2-8.
Leaves color green mostly dark in the winter the leaves can become red.
Flower color can be: white pink or purple, flower has reflexed petals the stamen expose and facing down the petals go up.
How to care:
Fertilizer at least once a year spring, put pine mulch, prune once a year
What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed (Care explanation bellow) / Vegetative Reproduction by cutting
How to propagate by cutting: Propagating by cutting require high humidity, moist soil, better sterile water, peat soil (acidic soil), temperature need to be above 10-25C (50-77F), might take at least two month and if started in the autumn it will takes until the spring, need to take
Is it necessary to use vegetative reproduction? Yes, ensure the cultivar, the quality of the fruit: size, taste more sweet or sour and quantity
Difficulties or problems when growing: Some virus attack a lot of verity
Planting season – when to plant: Winter, spring and in hardiness zone 2-8 possible in the summer
How to plant: When start in bare root important to cut part of the roots and the plant, put organic matter, humus, dead leaves and mix it with the soil (acid soil), when planting need to increase the amount of water
Pests and diseases: Virus, aphids
Pruning season: End of the autumn to beginning of the winter, but if there isn’t a lot of fruits better after the fruits season
How to prune:
Prune the week branches and dead, crossing branch, in order to get bigger fruits better to reduce the buds in order to get bigger fruits, old stems, reduce the amount of branches and need to take care that all the fruits will get enough light
Size of the plant: 10-15 cm, 4-6 inches
Growth speed in optimal condition: Medium growing
Water requirement: Average amount of water / Big amount of water need to keep the soil moist
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun / Half Shade / Full Shade (outside of the temperate zone can grow in shade with light)
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? No
Growing is also possible in a pots, planter, flowerpot, containers: Yes, start with pot that will be 40-60% more than the root ball, every time that the plant arrive to full capacity need to switch to bigger until arrives to desirable size (but better to grow the plant in pot that will fit will bear more fruits) size of the pot can be 7-12L (1.8-3 gallons), switch the soil in mid of the winter, soil lose the viability over time and it’s efficient of care for the roots of the plant, drainage it’s important and need to make holes and to use peat soil and maybe some lava grit in the bottom or something like that, put a bottom for the container and when water the plant let it fill the bottom but also need to dry in the same day, it’s important to fertilize once a year, mulch of pine it’s important.
Blooming information
Bloom season: Spring / Summer
General information about the flower Reflexed flower color can be: white pink or purple, flower has reflexed petals the stamen expose and facing down the petals go up
Pollination is done by: Bees, self-pollination
Edible fruits
Fruit harvest season: Summer / Autumn
Fruits pests or diseases: Birds
What can be done with big quantities of Vaccinium macrocarpon fruits? Eaten raw, jams, juice, beverage
Work requirements on the fruit: Nothing special
How long does it take to bear fruit? 2-3 years from seeds, 1-2 years from cutting
