Can I grow cloudberries in my garden?

They are difficult to cultivate outside of their native boggy, cool climate.

Why is my plant not fruiting?

You likely lack a pollinator or do not have both male and female plants present.

Plant guide

Cloudberry.

Rubus chamaemorus

Pronounced ROO-bus kam-ee-MOR-us

Also known as Cloudberry, bake-apple, bakeapple, baked-apple-berry

The cloudberry is a delightful, low growing perennial that thrives in cool, boggy environments. It produces a single, amber colored fruit that tastes like a mix of raspberry and apricot. You will mostly find these growing wild in northern peatlands and marshes.

At a glance

Care level: Difficult
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Light: Partial shade to full sun in cool climates
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 1 to 3 days
Mature size: 10 to 25 centimeters
Growth rate: Slow
Hardiness: USDA 2 to 5
Bloom time: Early to mid summer

Care

This plant requires very specific acidic, boggy soil conditions to survive. Keep the soil consistently moist and cool, as it does not tolerate heat or drying out. Watch for signs of stress like leaf browning if the humidity drops too low.

Watering: Keep the soil constantly saturated to mimic its natural bog habitat.
Feeding: Use a very light application of ericaceous fertilizer in early spring.
Pruning: Remove dead foliage in late autumn after the growing season ends.
Repotting: Only repot if the plant has completely outgrown its container, using a specialized peat based mix.
Soil: Peaty, acidic, waterlogged soil
Soil pH: 3.5 to 5.0
Temperature: -40 to 25°C
Humidity: 60 to 90%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 10 plus years
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots circling the bottom of the pot
Stunted growth despite adequate moisture

Safety

People: This plant is non toxic to humans.
Children: The plant is safe for children, though the low growth habit may attract curious toddlers to the berries.
Contact allergens: The stems may have fine hairs that cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: There is no significant risk of airborne allergens.
Edibility: The fruit is safe to eat, but ensure you are not harvesting from protected wild populations.

How to identify it

Low growing herbaceous perennial
Kidney shaped crinkled leaves
Single white five petaled flowers
Amber colored edible berry
Creeping underground rhizomes

Height: 0.1 to 0.25m
Spread: 0.2 to 0.5m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: white, 2 to 3cm
Fruit: amber, gold, Late summer

Problems to watch for

Botrytis · A fungal gray mold that can affect fruit in overly wet conditions.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your cloudberry from a photo

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Growing it

Propagation: division, seed, rhizome cuttings
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: The plant is fully hardy and requires no special protection, as it naturally enters dormancy during freezing temperatures.
In containers: Not recommended for containers due to specific requirements for high humidity and boggy soil conditions.

Rhizome Division

1. Carefully dig up a section of the creeping rhizome in early spring.
2. Ensure each piece has at least one healthy bud.
3. Replant immediately into moist, acidic, peat based soil.

Group with other acid loving bog plants to maintain consistent soil moisture and pH levels.

Grows well with

Bog Rosemary · It shares the same affinity for acidic, wet bog environments.
Cranberry · It thrives in the same moisture levels and soil acidity.

Similar species

Dewberry · It is a related trailing bramble with similar growth habits.

Science

Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Rubus
Order: Rosales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Circumpolar arctic and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Conservation: In some southern parts of its range, wild harvesting is restricted to protect local populations.

It survives in nutrient poor, acidic peat bogs by forming symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, forage for birds
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: culinary jams, desserts, ground cover

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 3/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 1/9
Moisture: 8/9
Nutrients: 2/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Can I grow cloudberries in my garden?: They are difficult to cultivate outside of their native boggy, cool climate.
Why is my plant not fruiting?: You likely lack a pollinator or do not have both male and female plants present.

Where the name comes from

The name chamaemorus comes from Greek words meaning ground and mulberry, describing its low habit and fruit appearance.

Good to know

Cloudberries are dioecious, meaning you need both male and female plants to produce fruit.
They thrive in acidic, boggy soils where few other plants can survive.
The berries change color from red to amber as they ripen.
They are rich in vitamin C.

Keep your cloudberry growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.