Skill Level: Advanced
Empetrum hermaphroditum—the hermaphrodite crowberry—is a compact, evergreen subshrub of northern heaths, tundra edges, and high mountain slopes. It forms tight, wiry mats only 4–8 in. tall, with fine, dark green, needle like leaves that hug the stems. Flowers are tiny and easily overlooked, but the glossy black berries that follow are a signature feature, persisting into winter and feeding birds and small mammals.
In cultivation it prefers full sun, acidic, nutrient poor soils, and excellent drainage. Think wind scoured ridges and cool, open bog margins: sandy or peaty soils, low fertility, and steady moisture without stagnation. It dislikes heat and thrives in climates with cool summers and cold winters. Hardy in USDA Zones 2–6, it performs best in coastal or high elevation gardens where summer temperatures stay moderate.
Our Seed Germination Experience
Crowberry seeds have deep, complex dormancy, and this batch from wilds of Italy proved especially stubborn. We used a long, alternating sequence—3 months 16°C, 3 months 4°C, 3 months 16°C—with no response. Only after applying GA3 using Norman Deno’s toothpick method did germination begin, about two months later. Of 12 seeds, 30% germinated, and just one seedling survived, with the others stalling inexplicably despite careful conditions. The lone survivor is almost of a size to plant out.
Mature Plant Picture: Native Plant Trust
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