Family Name: Ericaceae
Botanical Name(s): Vaccinium macrocarpon
Popular Name(s): American cranberry, bear berry, mountain
cranberry
Parts Used: The fruits
Habitat: Cranberry is found in cooler parts of the Northern
Hemisphere.
Description: Cranberries are dwarf evergreen shrubs. The
creeping shrubs grow to a height of 2 m. The stems are slender, not
thickly woody and possess small evergreen leaves. The flowers are dark
pink in colour, having very distinct reflexed petals. The style and
stamen are fully exposed and point forward. The berries are the fruits
of the herb which are initially white but turn to deep red in colour on
ripening.
Uses: Cranberries are used as jelly and it is often known as
cranberry sauce. Cranberries are a source of polyphenol antioxidants
which benefits the cardiovascular system and immune system. It is also
used in spinal paralysis. It is believed that Cranberry is
antibacterial, antifungal in action and acts as an antioxidant. It is
assumed that Cranberries reduce the rate of urinary tract infections.
