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Vaccinium macrocarpon

American Cranberry · Cramberry · Cranberry

Family EricaceaeGenus Vaccinium

Also published as Vaccinium macrocarpum. You are in the right place.

Red cranberries scattered across a low mat of small leaves
FruitPhoto by Keith WellerPublic domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Broadleaf evergreenPlant Finder
Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Height
0.25-0.5 ft10-15 cmPlant Finder
Spread
1-6 ft0.3-1.8 mPlant Finder
Flower
White to pinkPlant Finder
Blooms
May to JunePlant Finder
Native range
North AmericaPlant Finder
Hardiness zones
3-7Plant Finder
Note
The seed sits clear of the juices of the berry, so washing it clean makes no difference.Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed.

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunPlant Finder
Soil
Damp to boggy, acidic, organically rich, well-drainedPlant Finder
Soil pH
4-5.2Plant Finder
Organic matter
HighPlant Finder
Moisture
Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally WetExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Watering
Medium to wetPlant Finder

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plant Finder — Missouri Botanical Garden; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno.

Worth knowing

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow on the surface — do not cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

95% germination in 7–21 days.

95% on the surface in light. No cleaning needed: the seed never touches the juice of the berry.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, VacciniumPublic domain
Show the original text
Vaccinlum (Ericaceae). V. macrocarpum germ. 70L(95% in 1-3 w), 70D GA-3(95% in 1-3 w), 70D(10%in 5th w), and 40-70D(50% in 1-4 w). Although the seeds are enclosed in a fruit, they are not in contact with the juices of the fruit and WC had no effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vaccinium. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

95% germination in 7–21 days.

GA-3 does the whole job of the light: the same 95%, buried.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, VacciniumPublic domain
Show the original text
Vaccinlum (Ericaceae). V. macrocarpum germ. 70L(95% in 1-3 w), 70D GA-3(95% in 1-3 w), 70D(10%in 5th w), and 40-70D(50% in 1-4 w). Although the seeds are enclosed in a fruit, they are not in contact with the juices of the fruit and WC had no effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vaccinium. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 8, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

50% germination in 7–28 days.

A cold period buys back half of what the dark costs -- 50% against 10%.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, VacciniumPublic domain
Show the original text
Vaccinlum (Ericaceae). V. macrocarpum germ. 70L(95% in 1-3 w), 70D GA-3(95% in 1-3 w), 70D(10%in 5th w), and 40-70D(50% in 1-4 w). Although the seeds are enclosed in a fruit, they are not in contact with the juices of the fruit and WC had no effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vaccinium. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 35 days to germinate.

10% germination in 35 days.

10%, and slow with it. Buried and untreated is the worst of the four.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, VacciniumPublic domain
Show the original text
Vaccinlum (Ericaceae). V. macrocarpum germ. 70L(95% in 1-3 w), 70D GA-3(95% in 1-3 w), 70D(10%in 5th w), and 40-70D(50% in 1-4 w). Although the seeds are enclosed in a fruit, they are not in contact with the juices of the fruit and WC had no effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vaccinium. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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