American Cranberry Bush is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 2 through 7. Its spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
American Cranberry Bush — the short answer
American Cranberry Bush: grown in zones 2–7, part sun, pH 5–7.5.
- USDA zones
- 2–7
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Soil pH
- 5–7.5
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Sun
- Part Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score American Cranberry Bush on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether american cranberry bush actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score american cranberry bush against your land's real conditions.
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What American Cranberry Bush is
American Cranberry Bush grows as a perennial and reaches around twelve feet at maturity. It blooms white in spring.
How to grow American Cranberry Bush
American Cranberry Bush grows in USDA zones 2 through 7. American Cranberry Bush does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 60 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
2-7
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5 - 7.5
Growable Ground Plant Database
Sun
Part Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
12 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
60+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set american cranberry bush in part sun with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
American Cranberry Bush prefers pH 5 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Be patient, then harvest
Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.
Where American Cranberry Bush thrives
American Cranberry Bush is hardy across USDA zones 2 through 7. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 2–7 spans average winter lows from -50°F to 10°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 23 outright and splits 25 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 2–7·Where American Cranberry Bush growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
Where American Cranberry Bush stands, state by state
American Cranberry Bush is rated for zones 2–7 — a cold floor USDA puts at -50 to -40°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 23 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 25 more, and 3 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 2–7
23 states
3 of 23 shown
The line runs through
25 states
- Alaska · zones 1a-9a
- Idaho · zones 3b-8a
- California · zones 4b-11a
3 of 25 shown
American Cranberry Bush’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around American Cranberry Bush
Growing guides for american cranberry bush
In rotation planning, american cranberry bush counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — american cranberry bush isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
American Cranberry Bush offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Your land is one point inside American Cranberry Bush's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if American Cranberry Bush will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether american cranberry bush actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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How we know this about American Cranberry Bush
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow American Cranberry Bush in my zone?
American Cranberry Bush grows in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 7 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant American Cranberry Bush?
Set american cranberry bush out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does American Cranberry Bush need?
American Cranberry Bush does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does American Cranberry Bush need?
American Cranberry Bush prefers soil pH 5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does American Cranberry Bush attract pollinators?
Yes — american cranberry bush's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Is American Cranberry Bush safe for pets?
American Cranberry Bush is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)