Bloomipedia
Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
Photo: Laura J. Costello via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Lingonberry

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) is a shrub in the Ericaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–July across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Lingonberry is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.

9states where USDA records it
3Bloomipedia state lists include it
7,075U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire

Quick look

Vaccinium vitis-idaea is a small evergreen shrub in the heath family, Ericaceae. It is known colloquially as the lingonberry, partridgeberry, foxberry, mountain cranberry, or cowberry. It is native to the boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

  • It belongs to the Ericaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 9 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska, New Hampshire and Maine. NatureServe
  • In New Hampshire, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as summer. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 0.5 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 2,547 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #10 among the 121 flowers on our Alaska list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,330 research-grade sightings of it in New Hampshire, ranking #18 among the 157 flowers on our New Hampshire list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,881 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #29 among the 160 flowers on our Maine list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (275 records)
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
AlaskaNativefew records (43)2,547
New HampshireNativeJune–July2,330
MaineNativeJune–July1,881

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Alaska
No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alaska.
New Hampshire
Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Hampshire. NH Ncr 312
Maine
Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. Maine rare plant list
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MA (S1), MI (S1), VT (S2), WI (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records lingonberry in 9 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Vermont, Wisconsin.

Alaska counties with USDA records: Aleutians East, Aleutians West, Anchorage, Bethel, Bristol Bay, Chugach, Copper River, Denali, Dillingham, Fairbanks North Star, Haines, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Sitka, Southeast Fairbanks, Yakutat, Yukon-Koyukuk.

New Hampshire counties with USDA records: Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton.

Maine counties with USDA records: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Lingonberry a high shade tolerance and low drought tolerance. It is rated for soil pH 4.5 to 6.0 and winter lows down to -62 °F.

Shade tolerance
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse
Soil pH range
4.5 to 6.0
Minimum temperature tolerated
-62 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
120
Annual precipitation range
10 to 276 inches
Minimum root depth
12 inches
Salinity tolerance
Low
Fertility requirement
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
Short
Active growth period
Spring
Fruit or seed
Red · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, cuttings, seed, sprigs
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for VAVI. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Native; Canada: Native; Greenland: Native; Lower 48 states: Native; St. Pierre and Miquelon: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 64 counties across 8 states; the most are in Alaska (23), Maine (14), Minnesota (11).

Other Vaccinium on Bloomipedia (10): Sparkleberry, Lowbush blueberry, Large cranberry, Bog bilberry, Shiny blueberry, Grouse whortleberry, Thinleaf huckleberry, 'ohelo 'ai, Mayberry, ʻōhelo kau lāʻau.

More from the Ericaceae family (55 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Ghost pipe, Rhododendrons and azaleas, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Salal, Woodland pinedrops, Pinesap.

More Alaska flowers

Black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum)

Black crowberry

Empetrum nigrum

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in AK
Bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum)

Bog bilberry

Vaccinium uliginosum

Native

🌼 Blooms in AK: May–July
Mock azalea (Rhododendron menziesii)

Mock azalea

Rhododendron menziesii

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in AK

Sources