Vaccinium vitis-idaea - Shrub - Cowberry, Foxberry, Lingonberry, Mountain Cranberry, Partridgeberry Page

Looking for a unique and flavorful addition to your meals? Look no further than Vaccinium vitis-idaea, also known as Cowberry, Foxberry, Lingonberry, Mountain Cranberry, or Partridgeberry. This short evergreen shrub produces delicious and nutritious berries that are native to boreal forests and Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

These berries are commonly picked in the wild and used to accompany a variety of dishes in Northern Baltoscandia, Russia, Canada, and Alaska. Lingonberries also spread by underground stems to form dense clonal colonies, with slender and brittle roots growing from the underground stems.

Not only are these berries tasty, they're also a popular fruit in northern, central, and eastern Europe, especially in Nordic countries, the Baltic states, and central and northern Europe. They can even be legally picked on both public and private lands in some areas according to the freedom to roam.

While seldom cultivated, Vaccinium vitis-idaea is commonly collected in the wild for good reason. So next time you're looking for a unique and delicious ingredient, consider adding Cowberry, Foxberry, Lingonberry, Mountain Cranberry, or Partridgeberry to your plate.