Black Crowberry
Empetrum nigrum
- Native to:
- Albania, Aleutian Is., Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuril Is., Labrador, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Prince Edward I., Romania, Russia, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Ukraine, United States
iNaturalist: © alexey_p (iNaturalist #182609050)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Genus:
- Empetrum
- Species:
- Empetrum nigrum
- USDA Symbol:
- EMNI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub
- Height:
- 25 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Freija fritillary (Clossiana freija)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock after fire; common in fire-prone boreal and heath ecosystems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 3.5 - 5.5 (strongly acidic to acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Common in heathlands and bogs; prefers cold climates
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Germination is slow and erratic; benefits from cold stratification and acidic, peaty substrate.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for 60 days
Establishment: E. nigrum is found in bogs, heathlands, tundra and high mountains from Alaska east across northern Canada to Greenland.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Expose to fluctuating outdoor winter temps incl. freezing for 3 months. Increase light/temp in spring. GA3 required.