Fruit
Lingonberry
Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. · cowberry, mountain cranberry, red whortleberry · Polish: Borówka brusznica
Edible
How to identify it
- Evergreen dwarf shrub (about 15 cm).
- Leaves leathery, elliptical, with slightly rolled-under edges; the underside paler, matt, with dark gland dots.
- Flowers from May to July (May–June according to the State Forests).
- Glossy berries, creamy-white at first, red when ripe, in clusters; ripen in August, mostly in September.
Where it grows
Pine and spruce forests (including dry ones), heaths and bogs.
In the kitchen and the home medicine cabinet
Preserves and jellies (often with pears) to accompany dark meats and game.
Caution The leaves are not used over long periods — they contain arbutin, which can cause symptoms of chronic hydroquinone poisoning. In the forest, pick the berries by hand (no combs or pickers); wash them before eating. Picking is prohibited in national parks and nature reserves.
What not to confuse it with
Mezereon Deadly poisonous
Foresters point out a certain resemblance between lingonberries and the very poisonous berries of mezereon. Mezereon is a shrub, not a low evergreen dwarf shrub; its red berries grow in clusters along the shoots.
Frequently asked questions
When is Lingonberry in season?
In Poland, usually in August, September.
What can Lingonberry be confused with?
Mezereon: Foresters point out a certain resemblance between lingonberries and the very poisonous berries of mezereon. Mezereon is a shrub, not a low evergreen dwarf shrub; its red berries grow in clusters along the shoots.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Borówka brusznica
- Lasy Państwowe – Leśnoteka: Borówka brusznica
- Nadleśnictwo Strzebielino (Lasy Państwowe): Borówka brusznica (01.02.2017)
- Nadleśnictwo Przedborów (Lasy Państwowe): ABC zbieracza (07.08.2018)
- Nadleśnictwo Browsk (Lasy Państwowe): Puszcza Białowieska wczesną jesienią (05.09.2021)
Last checked: 9 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Write to us.
