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Bearberry

Bearberry

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

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How common: Very common

Bearberry is a low, evergreen shrub that creeps over the ground and forms wide mats. It likes dry, sunny, sandy or rocky places across the northern parts of Europe, Asia and North America. In spring it has small pale pink to greenish‑white, bell‑like flowers, followed by smooth, bright red berries.

Did you know?

  • One patch can spread over several square metres and persist for decades.
  • It keeps its shiny leaves through winter and can even photosynthesize during mild winter spells.

About the species

Identification

Evergreen, ground‑hugging shrub forming mats with long trailing stems (to about 1 m). Leaves small (1–3 cm), dark green, shiny and tough, rounded to spoon‑shaped with smooth edges; underside pale with a net of veins and no dark dots. Flowers in late spring in small clusters at shoot tips; each is a tiny pale pink to greenish‑white bell (about 5–6 mm). Berries round, bright red, about 1 cm, with dry, mealy flesh. From lingonberry: bearberry spreads by long runners and its leaves lack the dark underside dots; lingonberry is more upright. Flowers in Finland in May–June.

Plant group

Dwarf shrubs

Habitat

heath forest

Flowering

May–Jun

About the habitat

Dry, sunny, well‑drained places such as open pine heaths, sandy or gravelly banks, rocky outcrops and mountain heaths. Common throughout the country.

Sources

Photo: Walter Siegmund, CC BY 2.5 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 25924.JPG

Text: Pinkka: Suomen puuvartiset - Koppisiemeniset. Lähteet: Väre, H., Saarinen, J., Kurtto, A. & Hämet-Ahti, L. (toim.) 2021: Suomen puu- ja pensaskasvio. 3. täysin uudistettu p. – Publications of the Finnish Dendrological Society 10: 1–552 s., CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38611

Text: Pinkka: BIO-503 Suomen kasvisto ja kasvillisuus - Metsät: kuivat kankaat, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38611

Text: Pinkka: Viheralueiden kasvit - Puuvartiset koristekasvit: koppisiemeniset, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38611

Text: Pinkka: A Pohjolan kasveja - Abies-Allium, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38611

Text: Pinkka: Kasvien talvi - Talvivihreät luonnonkasvit, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38611

Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sianpuolukka

See also