American Cranberry
Stevens Cranberry is a self-fertile cultivar of the native American cranberry that thrives across USDA zones 3 through 9, making it remarkably hardy for a fruit crop. What draws gardeners to this variety are its large, deep red berries and distinctive light green foliage, which combine ornamental appeal with serious productivity. This is a plant that doesn't ask you to choose between beauty and harvest; it delivers both as a cascading groundcover, whether tucked into a garden bed or spilling over the edge of a hanging basket.
12-24 inches apart
—
High
3-9
?in H x ?in W
Perennial
Moderate
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Stevens produces notably large, deep red berries on a compact, spreading plant with attractive light green leaves that work as well in a decorative landscape as they do in a productive garden. Its self-fertility means you don't need a second plant for pollination, and its cold hardiness through zone 3 opens possibilities for northern gardeners who might assume cranberries are off-limits. The plant's natural cascading habit makes it equally at home in traditional ground plantings as in containers, offering unusual flexibility for a berry crop.
Cranberries from Stevens are used in the traditional roles this fruit has held for centuries: fresh eating, sauce-making, juice production, and baking. Their larger size compared to wild cranberries makes them especially convenient for fresh applications or when whole berries matter visually in a dish.
Transplant Stevens Cranberry into the garden or container after the last frost date for your zone, spacing plants to allow room for their sprawling growth. Ensure soil is consistently moist before and after planting to help establish roots.
Harvest Stevens Cranberries when the berries turn a deep, vibrant red; the berries should feel firm between your fingers. Ripe berries typically separate readily from the vine when gently tugged. Harvest occurs in fall, generally from September through November depending on your zone, once the full deep red color has developed.
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