Hunting for Lowbush Cranberries (Lingonberries) at Fairbanks Creek
We tried a new area for lowbush cranberries, also called lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) at Fairbanks Creek about 20 miles northeast of Fairbanks. We saw lots of cranberry plants but few berries. However, we had a lovely time tramping through the woods collecting a few berries and admiring the mosses, lichens and mushrooms. I stopped to photograph the mushroom to the left and didn’t realize at first that it was surrounded by cranberries!
To the right is a tiny mushroom nestled in the think moss carpeting the forest floor. The moss was probably a good foot deep.
Above are some ground dogwood plants with ripe berries, surrounded by lichen.
To the left is Stiff Clubmoss (Lycopodium anotinum). It may be called moss, but it is more closely related to ferns.
Above is a large tuft of lichen, probably sticking above the moss about a foot, and covering an area about four feet long and three feet wide.
To the right is another larger mushroom surrounded by moss and lichen.
Hi Ray,
Being part Swedish, I grew up with lingonberries and was delighted to find quite a few on a friend's property up on Chena Ridge. When you pick enough do you make jam or? On a hike up a UAF this morning there was only a sprinkling. Looks like gleaners have already been at it.