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Crowberry

Edible

Spring

Summer

Winter

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The berries can be found still edible through to spring.

This evergreen member of the Ericaceae or Heather family has edible berries that can be found from summer and can last well into winter or even spring and stay edible. They don’t have the strongest of flavours but are better when cooked with or dried.

Hedgerow Type
Common Names	Crowberry, Crowberry, Crawberry, Crawcrooks, Lingberry, Deer's Grass
Scientific Name	Empetrum nigrum
Season Start	Jun
Season End	Apr

Please note that each and every hedgerow item you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.

Leaves

The leaves are small, short, fleshy, almost succulent and glossy. They grow in large numbers spiralling along the stringy stems. Small pink five petalled flowers grow from between the leaves in spring and early summer.

Fruit

The fruits look a little like small Bilberries that grow in clusters along the stem. They start pink before turning red then to black and can persist on the plant from early summer well into winter and even spring.

Habitat

Moorland, bogs and mainly upland where the soil is damp and acidic.

Possible Confusion

Can look a little like Bilberries, pictured, but the lack of ‘cogwheel’ and very different leaves should save confusion although these two plants will happily grow with each other in the same environment.
The leaves could be confused with some of the Stonecrops but these don’t have black berries growing along the stem.