Empetrum nigrum

Common Names

Black Crowberry, Crowberry, Curlewberry

Summary

Crowberry is a low evergreen shrub forming dense mats, typically 0.3 m high by 0.5 m wide, with prostrate stems and dark green linear leaves; flowers appear in May–June and are usually dioecious, with wind and insect pollination by bees, flies, and Lepidoptera, followed by dark black drupes that persist on the plant through winter; native to circumpolar regions across Europe and North America, it grows in moors, mountain tops, and bogs, in well-drained, moist soils that are mildly acidic to neutral and tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

It prefers lime-free soil and moist, well-drained soils with mildly acidic to neutral pH, and can grow in sun to semi-shade; hardy in USDA zones 3–8; commonly used as ground cover or erosion control and can be grown as an ornamental; its edible fruit is raw or cooked and used for drinks, pies, preserves, and it can stay on the plant through winter; it can be propagated by seed or cuttings, with cuttings rooting easily and seed propagation slow; the fruit provides a purple dye.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1 ft to 1 ft 8 in

Spread

1.5-3.5 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Acidic, well-drained moist peat-based soil.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

4.3-7.8, Acid to neutral, Tolerates very acidic soils

Bloom Color

Purple

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

No fall foliage color; evergreen

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow growth, 7–15 cm per year.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds