Bearberry fruit

This species is typical of conifer forests and tundra, and it is also found in alpine zones. Bearberry usually grows in poor, acidic, dry, sandy soils. It’s most common in open, sunny areas, but can also be found in lightly shaded understories.

This shrub is native to North America, Europe, and Asia. A circumboreal species, it occurs across northern regions where temperatures are cold. Bearberry is found in the northern United States and throughout the Rocky Mountains.

In Canada, bearberry can be found in every province where conditions are suitable. In Quebec, it occurs in the Canadian Shield, Gaspésie, Bas-Saint-Laurent, and Charlevoix, and as far north as Nunavik. It is rarely found in the St. Lawrence Valley.