Area of origin: Northern Hemisphere
Adult dimensions: Height up to 25 cm, width up to 100 cm.
Foliage: Evergreen
Type of soil: Acidic, light and well-drained
Hardiness: Hardy to -15°C.
Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
Characteristics and uses:
The Bearberry or Common Bearberry is a ground-covering sub-shrub.
It grows in a bushy shrub with trailing red stems which can reach 100 cm.
The evergreen foliage is composed of small, leathery, glossy dark green leaves which turn red in winter, before becoming green again in spring.
Pretty clusters of bell-shaped, white-to-pink flowers appear in May / June. They are followed by edible, glossy green berries which ripen to bright red in the fall.
It is a slow-growing shrub that spreads gradually and doesn’t become invasive.
The bearberry makes an attractive ground cover, is perfect for rock gardens or cascading over walls. Also perfect for banks as it slows down erosion.