Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Lingonberry

Lingonberry is a small evergreen shrub known for its edible fruit. It spreads by underground stems to form dense clonal colonies and has slender, brittle roots. The leaves are oval, 5–30 mm long, with a slightly wavy margin and sometimes a notched tip. The flowers are bell-shaped, white to pale pink, 3–8 mm long, and are pollinated by various insect species. The fruit is a red berry 6–10 mm across, with an acidic taste that sweetens if left on the branch through winter.

Details

Order:

Ericales

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Vaccinium

Chemistry:

Lingonberries are composed of 86% water, 13% carbohydrates, and contain negligible fat. They are a low-to-moderate source of vitamin C, B vitamins, and dietary minerals.

Uses:

The berries are used in various dishes, especially in Nordic cuisine. They are often cooked and sweetened before eating in the form of jam, compote, juice, smoothie, or syrup. Raw fruits are also frequently mashed with sugar and used as a side dish with game and liver dishes. In traditional medicine, lingonberry was used as an apéritif and astringent.

Flowering time:

Late spring to early summer

Sowing time:

Spring

Plant height:

10 to 40 cm (4 to 16 in)

Flower color:

White to pale pink

Suitable habitat:

Boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including Eurasia and North America. It prefers some shade and constantly moist, acidic soil.

Info

Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.

Tenders

Expert guidance for current/future CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) subsidy applications