Cranberries live in many places across North America including Newfoundland,             Manitoba, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin.  But, why can cranberries only be found in a bog? 

 

Well, the cranberry loves all of the features of a bog.  Bogs are large floating masses of dead plants and organisms that have built up over long periods of time which is usually called peat.  All of the living plants grow on top of the mass absorbing nutrients from the slow decaying material from beneath them.  But, not just any plant can live here.  The conditions of a bog are extremely acidic, and cool (temperature wise) year round. 

 

Though cranberries love growing in cool conditions, it can get too cold for them.  So, during these cold times in the spring snow is melting and raising the water level of the lakes that these bogs reside.  As the water floods, it covers the cranberry plant, and gives it an extra layer of insulation.  On these bogs, you may also find orchids, mosses, trees, grasses and weeds.  You will see a multitude of animals as well, including wolves, deer, an array of birds, and many insects.  All of these plants are highly specialized to live in this area. If you plan of walking through a bog, be cautious of holes in the peat, northern banded water snakes, and mosquitos, who thrive in these conditions.

 

To learn about the cranberry's adaptations, click here.

 

 

 

Copyright Britney Mullenbach – Last updated 4/16/2011