Cranberry and lingonberry: differences

What is the difference between a cranberry and a lingonberry? We have the answer to this question ready for you here.

Pink and bittersweet, we know both berries as an accompaniment to many favorite dishes. The similarity can cause confusion. You might think the cherry-sized cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) would be a highly bred variety of the smaller ones cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), or "Cranberry" would just be the English term for the exact same plant. You can read with us what is really true and what makes the difference.

Cranberry or lingonberry: the differences

Right at the beginning we clarify the hard plant-systematic facts: The cranberry and the lingonberry are different species. The same genus name Vaccinium but already shows that their resemblance is based on kinship. Together with the blueberry and over 450 other species, they belong to the blueberry genus (

Vaccinium).

The cranberry, or American cranberry, is a wild creeping woody plant native to North America that is cultivated on a large scale. Other cranberries are also distributed in Eurasia, but are not presented here in detail. The four large air chambers of the scarlet fruit contribute much to the great economic importance of the "Craneberry" at: They allow a particularly efficient harvest when the fields are flooded and the berries swim on top. Over 300,000 tons a year are harvested in the USA alone, the country with the world's largest production.

The cranberry is a low tree that looks confusingly similar to the cranberry at first glance. It is also found in North America and Asia, but has its greatest economic importance in northern Europe, where it is wild-collected but also cultivated. The main suppliers are Finland, Norway and Sweden. Their demands on the location are the same as those of the cranberry: low-lime, well-drained soil with a pH value between 5 and 6, partial shade and a thick layer of snow in winter make both happy.

The most striking difference between the two berries is the size and flavor of the fruit. While the cranberry has smaller berries that taste very tart and sour, those of the cranberry can almost reach the size of a cherry and are much milder.

Uses and ingredients of cranberry and lingonberry

In the kitchen, both types are only suitable for raw consumption to a limited extent. They taste sour and bitter, and raw can cause constipation and gas. The berries are much tastier and more popular in sauces, chutneys and jams, as an acidic addition to vegetable stews and roasts or in dried form as a snack or ingredient in muesli.

The diverse ingredients of the two berries predestine them as medicines, whereby the herb is sometimes used more than the berries. Cranberries contain comparatively moderate amounts of vitamins A, C, B1 and B2, potassium and other minerals. On the other hand, the content of pectins and organic acids is high. One of the pharmaceutically interesting ingredients is arbutin. This substance has a urinary disinfectant effect and also has a positive effect on intestinal viral diseases. Arbutin is not found in many plants. In the case of cranberries, it is mainly found in the herb and in comparatively small amounts in the fruit.

The much-vaunted effect against inflammation of the urinary tract has been increasingly questioned in recent years, but the high content of healthy secondary plant substances is undisputed. The tannic acids it contains have an anti-inflammatory effect. Resveratrol is another ingredient that may help regulate cholesterol levels. The cranberry plant has similar qualities as a medicine. Organic acids such as quinic acid can also be found in it. Anthocyanins and flavonoids, the healthy plant pigments from the group of polyphenols, also develop their cell protection here.

Here are the differences and similarities at a glance:

• Relationship and origin: The cranberry or American cranberry is the North American cousin of the smaller lingonberry. Both are wild plants, but the cranberry is cultivated on a large scale, while a significant proportion of the lingonberry crop comes from wild collection.
• Appearance and use: The cranberry can grow up to the size of a cherry and is scarlet in color. It tastes milder than the small, dark red and very tart lingonberry and is therefore also suitable for raw consumption in small quantities. Both types are cooked into spicy jams and sauces and are often served with hearty meat dishes. As dried fruits, they are popular with muesli and as a snack.
• Medicinal Significance: The ingredients of lingonberry and cranberry are very similar. They are of pharmacological interest and much-vaunted home remedies for urinary tract diseases and intestinal viruses - but these aspects are controversial. However, their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects are high.

Growing cranberries in the garden

The cranberry is not only interesting for your own garden because of its healthy berries, it also cuts a fine figure as a ground cover. The prerequisite is that their special requirements for the location are met: a soil pH value of around 5 and humus-sandy, permeable soil are mandatory. If the soil is too alkaline and heavy, you can supplement it with either sand, peat-free rhododendron soil and bark mulch deep touch up, or you decide for an uncomplicated pot culture - the choice of the right substrate provided. A detailed guide to Cultivation of cranberries can be found in our special article.

An overview of the further Berry varieties for your garden see this article.