Cranberry

Habit: Indigenous to the Eastern Cape, the cranberry grows practically anywhere in South Africa, although prefers warm places. In extremely cold areas should be given more protection. Known as crane berry, because of its bright orange petals which stand up like a crane’s crown and combine well with a beautiful blue section which forms the birds beak. Flowers and leaves of cranberries shoot up from base, with flowers being only slightly taller than the canna-like leaves. Once the plants are established they produce large quantity of flowers for all of the year except summer. In late winter-spring, spikes of small flower are produced which turn to purple-black fruits in autumn. Excellent for extremely cold areas, it is a slow starter but grows quite rapidly after a few years.

Feeding and watering: Once established needs little in way of food but must never be allowed to dry out in spring and summer. Separate top and bottom soil and include handful super phosphate in bottom layer and handful 2:3:2 in top. Mix both sections well. Replace in order. When plants arrive, cut back to knee height and then plant immediately. Scoop out soil, and ensuring graft union is above ground, plant with roots spread out evenly. Cover, firm down, and water well

Pruning: A light trimming at the end of summer will ensure better flowering the following season. Also, if damaged by frost, may be cut right back. When very young prune hard back for few years to encourage root growth and business. Later only light trimmings are necessary.

Uses: Ornamental, decorative foliage for color contrasting in border. Flowers and foliage of cranberry are useful for vase. It provides different color for shrub border; looks good when hanging over and softening hard terraces or trailing down banks. When watering herbs and plants, it is important to direct the water to the plant’s roots and not to squander it by allowing it to run off in all directions. The best way of doing this is to build a small circular dam around each plant and to fill this with water. The addition of a mulch of compost or peat moss in the dam helps to reduce evaporation.

Cranberry Recipes:

Blend water, cranberry juice and lime juice in punch bowl; stir for 10 minute until all the 3 liquids are completely mixed and dazzling cranberry punch is ready!

Cranberry Salad is always loved with roasted turkey there is a variety of cranberry salads that includes Cape Cod Cranberry Salad Recipe, Cranberry Jello Salad and Christmas Cranberry Salad, these salads are not only tasty and healthy but they are also easy to make by just adding slices or cubes of vegetables or fruits that you can get easily from local grocery stores.

This cranberry sauce recipe is simple and cool to make, besides that it is better for your health and less time consuming than your average sauce. Cranberry sauce adds a special taste in your average dishes and most importantly it helps in the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections.

Cranberry bread recipe is very simple and cranberry cake can be made with a variety of fruits that includes apricot, banana and apples. Cranberry cake is seared in a pie plate and dish up with vanilla sauce with a lot of cranberries. In cranberry orange relish, the oranges and cranberry are chopped and served with turkey remember not to cook or boil the ingredients of cranberry relish.