Cowberry
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
full sun
Water
medium
Size
4"–10" H × 12"–24" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
CT, MA, ME, MI and 4 more states
Pollinators
bumble bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaLingonberry is a low, mat-forming evergreen shrub with small glossy leaves and nodding clusters of pink-white bell-shaped flowers. It spreads slowly by underground rhizomes across boreal forest floors and open bog edges.
Wildlife value
Bumble bees pollinate the small bell flowers, and the tart red berries that follow are eaten by birds and small mammals into winter.
Common questions
- How much sun does Cowberry need?
- Cowberry grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Cowberry bloom?
- Cowberry blooms in May, June, and July.
- Where is Cowberry native?
- Cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) is native to CT, MA, ME, MI and 4 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What pollinators does Cowberry attract?
- Cowberry draws bumble bees.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
Ready to grow Cowberry? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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