Vaccinum vitis-idaea Red Candy - Bilberry

The Red Cranberry Red Candy (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) is a new variety that is highly productive, with generous and perpetual flowering, producing large and decorative fruits with a modest growth perfectly suited for small gardens and container cultivation. Renowned for their vitamin and antioxidant content, the tart-flavoured berries are mainly used to make juice, jellies, and jams, or to accompany game or saucy dishes. The creeping bush has evergreen foliage reminiscent of boxwood and clusters of small white-pink flowers. This very hardy, lovely ground cover is easily grown in an acidic, moist but well-drained soil in partial shade.

The cranberry belongs to the Ericaceae family, just like blueberries, heathers, and rhododendrons. The red cranberry, known as Vaccinium vitis-idaea in Latin, also called the mountain cranberry, grows naturally in acidic and peaty soils in wooded areas of mountainous regions in northern Europe, North America, and even in Antarctica. It is a slow-growing bush that is extremely cold-resistant, with evergreen foliage and a low and spreading habit, spreading through underground rhizomes.

The 'Red Candy' cultivar reaches an average height of 20cm (8in), with a spread of 75 cm (30in). The leaves are oval, leathery, glossy, 1 to 3cm (0 to 1in) long, dark green on the upper surface, and covered with small brown glands on the underside. They are dense and abundant and form a decorative foliage that remains attractive even in winter. The flowering occurs first in May-June on the previous year's wood, and then again in July-August on the current year's shoots with small bell-shaped flowers, 5 to 7mm (0in) long, tinged with pink on a white-cream background, clustered at the tips of the stems. These flowers are very popular with bees and followed by round, 1 to 1.5cm (0 to 1in) in diameter, shiny berries, bright red-pink when ripe, and highly decorative. Harvesting takes place in two stages: first in early summer, then again in September-October. This Red Candy variety is self-fertile, one plant is sufficient for a bountiful harvest.

The cranberry is mainly consumed in Northern European and American countries, and is an ornamental, medicinal, and edible plant. Its tart fruit is low in calories but highly nutritious: it is rich in vitamins A, B, and C, minerals, and antioxidants. It can be eaten freshly picked, as juice, jam, jelly, sorbet, as a garnish for game, in sauces, or to flavour certain liqueurs and wine. Cranberries can be stored for about ten days after picking and can be frozen for longer preservation. In the garden, Vaccinium vitis-idaea Red Candy will fit well in semi-shaded areas, on the edge of woodlands, in orchards, or along an east-facing wall, where it will form a beautiful ground cover. This small bush will integrate perfectly into acid soil beds, alongside rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, andromedas, heathers, and Mayberry. It can also be planted in a pretty pot on the terrace or balcony, where it will offer its abundant fruiting within reach: remember to water it regularly with non-chalky water and regularly fertilise your cranberry.