Vaccinium vitis-idaea 'Lirome' FIREBALLS

Vaccinium vitis-idaea 'Lirome'
Vaccinium vitis-idaea 'Lirome' FIREBALLS
lingonberry, cowberry
SIZE/TYPE low or groundcovering
 small shrub
USUAL HEIGHT 0.3-0.4m
USUAL WIDTH 0.4-1m
LEAVES evergreen broadleaf
COLOUR OF LEAVES green
FLOWERS less showy but noticeable
COLOUR OF FLOWERS white
LOCATION full to partial sun
SOIL TYPE acidic (peaty)
SOIL MOISTURE REQUIREMENTS evenly moist (dislikes drought)
USDA zone (lowest) 2   (down to -45°C)
WINTER PROTECTION  
FOR ZONE 5+6 Code of winter protection zone 5+6
FOR ZONE 7 Code of winter protection zone 7
BELONGS TO CATEGORIES Fruit trees
Evergreen broadleaf
náhled fotonáhled fotonáhled foto
Cowberry or lingonberry is an evergreen shrub with delicious fruit. Though it is not considered a true cranberry in English speaking countries, in Central Europe this species is the one commonly used for cranberry preserves and typical sweet and sour tasting chutneys. Apart from fruit these small shrubs are highly valued for their ornamental features such as lush evergreen foliage and low, compact growth.

FIREBALLS is a Dutch variety of cowberry from the Netherlands, bred by Sierteeltkwekerij Maarten Bloemen, a nursery in Venhorst, the Netherlands. It produces a profusion of small, glossy, red fruit for a long period of time - from late summer often until spring unless the berries get killed by hard frost. The plant forms rather short but very dense shrubs with somewhat prostrate branches growing about 30-40 cm tall and a 80-90 cm wide in maturity (in plenty of years). European patent No. EU 46224 was granted in 2017.

Its evergreen leaves are leathery, broadly elliptic, small, and glossy. Urn-shaped flowers are white or light pink and appear in late spring and early summer, and are followed by spherical, bright red and glossy, edible fruit. It is known for successful healing of urinary tracts where bacteria causing the infection are surrounded by the cranberry substance and maneuvered out of the body without letting the bacteria cause any damage. The fruit is picked once it gains bright red colour in early autumn, or after the first frost if you are planning to make jams and preserves of it. If you want to make a 100% healthy product we suggest using only fructose or organic, natural cane sugar as opposed to white sugar which degrades any healthy food.

Lowbush cranberry forms a low, ground-covering, slow-growing shrub. It likes filtered sunlight or full sun and needs highly acidic, well-drained soil. Usage of organic fertilizers for ericaceous plants will enhance growth rate, branching, and obviously crop. Pruning is not usually required but may be done in late spring after flowering. Fully hardy to -45 °C (USDA zone 2) and is suitable for outdoor pots.

Last update 28-09-2021
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Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
GLOSSARY
  • STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
  • DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
  • EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
  • STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
  • HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
  • SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
  • HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
  • FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
  • GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
LARGE PLANTS over 150 cmspecimens, screening and hedging shrubs

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