Red Fruit Bearberry

Arctous rubra

Red Fruit Bearberry

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Ericaceae
Genus:
Arctous
Species:
Arctous rubra

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub
Height:
1-2 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
may, jun, jul
Bloom Colors:
White
Ground Cover:
Yes

Native Range

United States: Alaska, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Bee Keystone:
★★★★☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Mendocino saturnia moth (Saturnia mendocino)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
4.5 - 6.0 (acidic to slightly acidic)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
native to alpine and subalpine regions

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o