Plants : EricaceaeFerns and Flowering Plants

Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.

Cowberry

3914.jpg
Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Description: A low-growing shrub with small leathery oval leaves which are dark and shiny green on top and paler and dotted underneath.

Found on exposed rocky crags and on bogs and heaths in upland areas; widespread and found in all six counties, but rather uncommon.

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is similar and also grows on exposed rocks in upland districts, but is much rarer and confined to Co Antrim.

All names: Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.

Distribution Map from NBN: Vaccinium vitis-idaea at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Vaccinium vitis-idaea at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

 Hackney, P., 2026. Vaccinium vitis-idaea. L.. [In] Flora of Northern Ireland.
https://habitas.org/flora/species.php?item=3914. Accessed on 2026-11-02.