The illustrated growing guide

Bearberry (Kinnikinnick)

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Family Ericaceae

Est. zones 2-6

Botanical illustration of Bearberry (Kinnikinnick) — Shrub · Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

The bombproof native evergreen carpet for impossible spots — poor sand, acid gravel, salt, drought, cold to zone 2. Glossy mat that bronzes in winter, feeds early bees with pink bells, and offers red berries to birds (and bears). Slow to start but then a permanent, weed-proof groundcover where lawn and everything else fails.

Shrub · Native

Where to buy the plant — 1 nursery

Overview

Will bearberry (kinnikinnick) suit your garden, and what goes wrong.

✓

Will it fruit where you are?

Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what bearberry (kinnikinnick) actually needs.

Hardy inZones 2-6

Bearberry (Kinnikinnick) at a glance

HardinessUSDA 2–6

Mature size6-12 in evergreen mat

PollinationEarly urn-shaped flowers feed bees; berries feed birds and (yes) bears

Chill requirementNot yet established

Bloom seasonSpring — pink-white bells

Harvest seasonMealy red berries persist into winter (bird food; edible cooked but bland); leaves a traditional medicinal/smoking herb

Growth rateSlow

Common bearberry (kinnikinnick) problems

Almost none
Almost none

Growing

Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.

How to grow bearberry (kinnikinnick): light, water & soil

LightFull Sun to Part Shade

WaterLow — drought- and salt-tolerant once established

SoilSandy, acid, sharp drainage; poor is fine · pH 4.5 - 6.0

FertilizerNone

PruningRarely needed — A tough native evergreen groundcover for the harshest sunny, sandy, acid sites — coastal, alpine, or poor gravel where nothing else knits together. Glossy little leaves turn bronze in winter, pink bells feed early bees, and red berries feed wildlife. Slow to establish, then a permanent weed-smothering carpet. Salt-tolerant enough for roadsides and seaside.

Spacing2-3 ft

How to plant & propagate bearberry (kinnikinnick)

PropagateSeed (stratify), cuttings, or layering

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The year

What bearberry (kinnikinnick) asks for, month by month.

The bearberry (kinnikinnick) year, month by month

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Bloom

Harvest

What each band means

Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
Harvest — picking time — check ripeness every few days.

The bearberry (kinnikinnick) year as text

Jan harvest
Feb harvest
Mar bloom
Apr bloom
May bloom
Jun quiet month
Jul quiet month
Aug quiet month
Sep quiet month
Oct quiet month
Nov quiet month
Dec harvest

These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.

Ecology & uses

What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.

Bearberry (Kinnikinnick) in the garden system

Groundcover layer shrub
Nectary/insectary
Living mulch

AttractsBees, Birds

HabitatDry/rocky

MoistureUpland / dry

DeerBrowsed — protect young plants

OriginNative to North America

What bearberry (kinnikinnick) is grown for

✓ Commonly eatenBerries safe (bland); leaves a traditional herb — not for casual internal use

UseEvergreen groundcover

UsePoor/sandy soil

UseErosion

UseNative

Traditional use rating3/5 in herbal tradition

Harvesting & storing bearberry (kinnikinnick)

Mealy red berries persist into winter (bird food; edible cooked but bland); leaves a traditional medicinal/smoking herb.

Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.

Cultivars

Named varieties of bearberry (kinnikinnick), ruled as a catalogue.

Best bearberry (kinnikinnick) varieties & cultivars

Species; 'Massachusetts', 'Vancouver Jade' (vigorous groundcover selections)

Sources & plant ID

Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.

Research basis

Sources behind this profile

No extension citations are attached to bearberry (kinnikinnick)yet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.

Plant ID

BinomialArctostaphylos uva-ursi

FamilyEricaceae

TypeShrub · Perennial

USDA symbolARUV

OriginNative to North America

Invasive riskLow

VII

Where to buy

Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.

Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.

Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.

EtsyBrowse growers↗

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Questions

Bearberry (Kinnikinnick) questions, answered straight.

Is bearberry (kinnikinnick) safe for kids and pets?

Bearberry (Kinnikinnick) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Berries safe (bland); leaves a traditional herb — not for casual internal use. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.

When do you harvest bearberry (kinnikinnick)?

Mealy red berries persist into winter (bird food; edible cooked but bland); leaves a traditional medicinal/smoking herb.

How do you propagate bearberry (kinnikinnick)?

Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering.

Elsewhere

Where bearberry (kinnikinnick) sits in the library.

Where bearberry (kinnikinnick) sits in the library

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