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Cranberry
Vaccinium oxycoccos — Edible, very tart.
Never eat a wild mushroom or plant identified only from a website, book or app. Several deadly species look almost identical to edible ones, and mistakes can be fatal. Learn from an experienced forager in person, be certain of every specimen, and when in doubt, throw it out.
What it is
The wild bog cranberry is smaller and more sour than the cultivated American kind. It is picked in autumn, and many foragers wait until after the first frosts, which soften the berry and take the sharpest edge off the taste.
Where and when to find it
Raised bogs and wet mires. In season roughly September to October, and again after the frost.
Look-alikes and safety
It grows on a thread-thin creeping stem across sphagnum moss in open bogs, a habitat that itself narrows the possibilities. Take normal care on soft, wet bog ground.
Nutrition
About 46 kcal per 100 g, high in vitamin C. As with all wild food, the health value only matters once you are completely certain of a safe identification.
More wild foods
Blueberry (bilberry)
Excellent edible
Lingonberry
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Wild raspberry
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Cloudberry
Prized edible
Rowanberry
Edible only cooked; do not eat raw in quantity
Source: Edibility and look-alike notes follow standard mycological and botanical references for the region. This page is a starting reference, not an identification authority. · checked 2026-09-04
Frequently asked questions
When is cranberry in season?
September to October, and again after the frost.
What can cranberry be confused with?
It grows on a thread-thin creeping stem across sphagnum moss in open bogs, a habitat that itself narrows the possibilities. Take normal care on soft, wet bog ground.
Is cranberry edible?
Edible, very tart — but only ever after positive, in-person identification.
Make the most of the season
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