Vaccinium Koralle Lingonberry

If you have ever longed to grow lingonberry—so popular in Europe, but less well known here—then Vaccinium Koralle Lingonberry is the variety to try. This super-compact shrub, actually developed as a groundcover nearly 50 years ago before gardeners discovered how wonderful its fruit would be, is ideal for containers of all kinds as well as the sunny to lightly shaded garden. Give it a try this season, and start enjoying twice the flowers and fruit of other varieties.

Vaccinium Koralle Lingonberry reaches just 12 to 18 inches high and wide, yet covers itself in shell pink blooms, first in spring and again in summer. The glossy, small light green leaves really perk up with the addition of flowers, and the blooms are promptly followed by masses of bright crimson berries, which are ready to harvest first in summer, then again in fall. So much beauty and productivity in such a compact package.

Of course, many of us grow Vaccinium Koralle Lingonberry with no thought of canning the berries—the birds do our harvesting for us, repaying us in sweet song. But if you love lingonberry jam, you are in luck with this variety. The flavor is juicy, tart, and highly addictive. Get your canning supplies ready, because you have just discovered the perfect holiday gift as well as a great boon for your own pantry.

Vaccinium Koralle Lingonberry is self-pollinating, so you need grow only one, but if you have the space for two, we would recommend it—you will get a bigger crop, and they're just so beautiful. The foliage is evergreen, turning mahogany in fall. Of course, it also makes a great mass planting (as it was intended) in full sun in northern climates, partial shade farther south and west.

Vaccinium Koralle Lingonberry is very resistant to pests and diseases, the only thing Koralle is picky about is soil type. It needs rich, well-composted, acidic soil and it appreciates a peaty composition, combined with a heavy mulch. If you have grown blueberries, use that as your guide—the needs are very similar. Super hardy and long-lived, it will flower the first year and begin fruiting a season or two later. There's no down season for this lingonberry—it's a multiseason beauty.