- Full Sun (At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)
- Mature Height 6 - 12 Inches
- Mature Spread 6 - 12 Inches
- Growing Zones 4 - 8
An edible ground cover. That's Vaccinium macrocarpon ‘Pilgrim’. Dense mats of glossy green leaves, first covered in tiny pink blooms, later replaced with red berries that help to suppress weeds in even the wettest of garden spots. Cranberry is a true North American native that looks good and tastes good.
Pilgrim Cranberry attracts wildlife to the garden with its tasty nectar and juicy berries. Birds, butterflies and bees will all take turns enjoying this evergreen shrub. Cranberry is somewhat drought tolerant after it has been established for the first two years and would do well as ground cover at the dappled sunny edges of a woodland garden or as a spilling element in a mixed seasonal container.
Pilgrim Cranberry Care
Pilgrim Cranberry flower and fruit best in a sunny to part shade spot. The soil must be acidic. Preferably a pH of 4.0-4.5. Cranberries are tolerant of extra wet soils as long as they have their heads in the sun. A well drained soil that stays moist with a good mulch is the perfect home for these shrubs.
Maintenance is a non-issue with Pilgrim cranberry. Cranberries will freely bloom and fruit without any complicated pruning regime. The only pruning needed will be to keep the plants confined to where you want them to grow. Although this is a native plant, fertilizing it will help the shrubs to maintain vigorous fruiting. A wide range of hardiness zones makes Pilgrim Cranberry a useful edible plant for most gardens.
Pilgrim Cranberry Spacing
Pilgrim Cranberry has a compact height of 6-12 inches and a width of 18-24 inches. Spacing for use as a groundcover is recommended at 20 inches, center on center. Container grown Cranberries can be added to a mixed planting as the spiller element. Placing the shrub next to the edge will ensure that it has room to spread and drape. Cranberries are also good for planting on a slope for erosion control.
Pilgrim Cranberry Information
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 - 8 |
Plant Type: Edible Plants |
Light Exposure: Full Sun (At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight) |
Mature Height: 6 - 12 Inches |
Mature Spread: 18 - 24 Inches |
Spacing: 18 - 24 Inches |
Habit: Spreading, Upright |
Flower Color(s): Pink |
Flower Description: |
Bloom Period: Mid-May |
Foliage Type: Evergreen |
Foliage Color(s): Green |
Foliage Description: Dark Green |
Seasonal Interest: Spring Flowering |
Watering: Average |
Resists: Pests & Insects |
Tolerates: Drought |
Attracts: Birds, Butterflies |
Container Role: |
Uses: Containers, Edging, Groundcovers, Wildlife Gardens |
Features: Attracts Pollinators, Native to North America |
Brand: |
Common Name: Pilgrim Cranberry |
Other Name(s): |
Scientific Name: VACCINIUM MACROCARPON `PILGRIM` |
- SKU:
- 1231004295-pc
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.

Quart Pot
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts

2.5 Quart
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts

#1 Pot
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts

#2 Pot
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons

#3 Pot
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons

#5 Pot
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons

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Pre-Ordered Plants
Pre-ordered plants are scheduled to ship in Spring 2025. We carefully plan our shipping dates based on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone to ensure optimal planting conditions upon arrival. Want it sooner/later? Reach out, and we'll try our best to accommodate.
Estimated Spring Shipping Schedule
Estimated ship week for pre-ordered plants will ship based on growing zones as shown below.
Growing Zone | Estimated Ship Week |
---|---|
Zone 10 | March 24th |
Zone 9 | March 31st |
Zone 8 | April 7th |
Zone 7 | April 14th |
Zone 6b | April 21st |
Zone 6a | April 28th |
Zone 5b | May 5th |
Zone 5a | May 12th |
Zone 4 | May 19th |
Zone 3 | May 26th |
Note: These are only estimated ship dates. Plants may ship out later depending on weather & growing conditions of the plant.
Note: Only plants indicated as pre-order will ship as shown above. All other plants and hard goods will ship as normal.
Plants Shipping Now
Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.