**Botanical Information**:
– Commonly known as lingonberry or cowberry
– Genus name Vaccinium
– Growth characteristics like spreading by underground stems and root structure
– Varieties: V. vitis-idaea var. vitis-idaea (cowberry) and V. vitis-idaea var. minus (lingonberry)
**Ecology and Conservation**:
– Conservation status: Endangered in Michigan, special concern in Connecticut
– Hardy plant tolerating extreme cold temperatures
– Soil preferences: shade, moist, acidic; intolerant to alkaline soils
– Leaves retained in winter
**Cultivation and Culinary Uses**:
– Commercial cultivation since the 1960s
– Cultivars grown for ornamental purposes
– Culinary uses: popular in Europe, used in jams, juices, and with meat dishes
– Nutritional information: water, carbohydrate, protein content, caloric value, vitamins, and minerals
**Traditional and Other Uses**:
– Traditional medicinal uses: apéritif and astringent properties
– Traditional uses by indigenous groups
– Other uses like coloring, tobacco additive, and substitutes
**Related Species and Miscellaneous Information**:
– Differences from cranberries
– Hybrids with other Vaccinium species
– Explanatory note on the name reference to Mitchella repens
– References: IUCN Red List documentation and research on lingonberries in the Northern United States