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Native Plant Database

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Empetrum nigrum (Black crowberry)
Weyand, Phyllis

Empetrum nigrum L.

Black crowberry

Empetraceae (Crowberry Family)

USDA Symbol: emni

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A low, dense, mounded, heather-like shrub, to 6 in. in height, with short, erect, leafy branches. The foliage is dark green and linear, resembling tiny, fat fir needles. The leaves are arranged in whorls of four along the tough, prostrate stems. Small, rather inconspicuous, purplish-brown flowers occur in leaf axils and are followed by showy, purplish-black fruits.

Easier to grow than its heather look-alikes, the phyllodoces.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf: Green
Fruit: Black, Purple
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AK , CA , MI , MN , NH , NY , OR , VT , WA
Canada: BC , NB , NL , NS , ON , PE
Native Distribution: Circumpolar, s. in N. America through the Cascades to n. CA & at high altitudes in n. New England
Native Habitat: Peat bogs; moist, mossy places; exposed, rocky bluffs
USDA Native Status: L48(N), AK(N), CAN(N), GL(N), SPM(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Various soils.
Conditions Comments: Easier to grow than its heather look-alikes, the phyllodoces.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Northern Blue butterfly (Lycaeides idas), Arctic Blue butterfly (Agriades glandon)

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Empetrum nigrum is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Northern Blue
(Plebejus idas)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA 		Arctic Blue
(Plebejus glandon)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Description: Easily propagated from cuttings.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Evergreen shrubs for Michigan
June 17, 2008
I'm seeking a small-medium, ornamental, fairly compact, evergreen shrub to complement my front yard woodland wildflower garden. I want a shrub that will flank both sides of my front porch steps. I wa...
view the full question and answer

Advice on planting Korean dogwood (Cornus kousa) in Vancouver, BC
October 26, 2007
I live in the Vancouver, BC - Pacific Northwest area and the front of our yard faces south to southwest. If I were to plant a tree other than an evergreen, would the Korean Dogwood thrive in this are...
view the full question and answer

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright

Search More Titles in Bibliography

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1990 VOL. 7, NO.2 - Preservation Blooms in Recreated Prairies, New Wildflower Center Prairie Welcome...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Empetrum nigrum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Empetrum nigrum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Empetrum nigrum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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