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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

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

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