13 Berry Bushes You Can Plant in November

Fall is a season for planting, dividing, and harvesting. While you’re out working in your yard and garden, see if you have enough space for a new shrub. Do you have space for a large shrub or only a smaller, more compact bush? Take note of the available sunlight and soil conditions to help you choose the best new plant for your site. 

Now comes the fun part. By adding edible plants and fruiting shrubs to your yard, you’re creating an edible landscape. Edible landscaping uses a variety of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. You’ll find a wealth of showy and attractive species that also offer culinary value. 

Blackberry

	botanical name Rubus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2 – 8 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

When you think of a blackberry plant, you may imagine a mass of vegetation forming an impassable thorny thicket. Fortunately, modern breeding programs have created a wide assortment of blackberry cultivars. Many of these varieties are thornless and have large, delicious berries. 

Blackberry plants are classified in several ways. Growth habits include trailing, semi-trailing, and erect forms. Stems may be thorny or thornless. Fruits are either single-crop or double-crop, the latter producing two fruit crops in one season.

You will need some space to grow blackberries. These plants can sprawl and form thickets and will need to be regularly pruned for optimal growth and production. But if you love fresh juicy blackberries, it may be worth the effort!

Blueberry

	botanical name Vaccinium spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 0.5 – 12 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 8

Blueberry fruits are prolific, nutritious, delicious, and irresistible! And the great news is that you can grow your own. Blueberry bushes bloom in the spring and their small, bell-like flowers attract numerous pollinators. In the summer, you’ll be harvesting handfuls of tasty blue fruits to enjoy fresh, baked, preserved, or frozen. Blueberry bushes also have beautiful fall foliage that lights up your landscape with brilliant shades of red.

There are countless blueberry varieties and cultivars. Highbush blueberry varieties (V. corymbosum) typically grow six to 12 feet tall, whereas lowbush blueberries (V. angustifolium) rarely reach above two feet. Rabbiteye blueberries (V. ashei) reach a whopping 15 feet tall, and half-high varieties are a hybrid between highbush and lowbush. 

When selecting a blueberry to grow in your yard, look for compatibility. All blueberries appreciate full sun and rich soil that’s both moist and well-drained, with a pH between 3.8 and 5.5. These bushy shrubs vary in their size and climate tolerance. Plant at least two different varieties for the best berry production.

Buffaloberry

	botanical name Shepherdia argentea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6 – 12 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 9

The buffaloberry is a deciduous shrub native to the western and central United States and Canada. It can grow densely and form thickets so it works well in a larger naturalized area. Otherwise, be prepared to prune it regularly or use it as a wildlife-friendly hedge.

This native plant tolerates a wide variety of sun and soil conditions, including poor, dry soil and occasional flooding. Buffaloberry is easy to grow and produces large clusters of bright candy-red fruits. Birds will stop by to feast on these showy but tart fruits and you’ll get to harvest any leftover fruits to make jams, jellies, and pies. 

Cranberry

	botanical name Vaccinium macrocarpon
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1 – 3 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 7

Most yards probably won’t naturally support cranberry bushes, but if you can provide ideal conditions for these native shrubs, what a treat! Cranberries are native to northeastern North America, where they grow in cool, boggy conditions. They require a low soil pH of 4.0-5.2 and constantly moist to wet soil. 

Cranberry shrubs are broadleaf evergreens with small, oval, leathery leaves. They bloom in the spring. Their star-shaped white or pink flowers have recurved petals and attract low-flying pollinators.

The dark maroon-red berries mature from late summer through mid-fall. Birds and other small animals relish the fruits, and you will, too. Grow several cranberry shrubs together to make an attractive ground cover and increase fruit production.

Elderberry

	botanical name Sambucus canadensis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5 – 12 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 8

Elderberry may be best known for its health benefits. This tall, vigorous shrub is native to a variety of moist habitats throughout central and eastern North America. Elderberry is best grown in a naturalized wetland setting along the edge of a pond or stream, or as a larger hedge border, where its root suckers can form a dense colony.

Elderberry plants bloom in the spring. Their clusters of creamy white flowers are very showy and attract numerous pollinators. The elderberry fruits ripen in the summer and fall, attracting hungry songbirds that feast on the dark purplish-black berries. The fruits are edible when cooked and can be used for pies, baked goods, jams, and jellies. 

Gooseberry

	botanical name Ribes spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3 – 4 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 8

Gooseberries are interesting fruits with a tart flavor and colorful skins. As a landscaping shrub, they are quite ornamental, with attractive foliage and showy fruits. Gooseberries are round, about the same size as blueberries, and can be green, red, pink, or purple when ripe. They’re tart but tasty and make good jams. 

Gooseberries are native to the north-central and northeastern United States and Canada. There are also European, South American, and African species. Most gooseberries that you’ll find commercially will be cultivars. Choose a disease-resistant variety and make sure you’re permitted to grow gooseberries in your region. These plants are a host for white pine blister rust and may be restricted in some states. 

Evergreen Huckleberry

	botanical name Vaccinium ovatum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3 – 5 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 8

Evergreen huckleberry, also known as California huckleberry, is a compact shrub native to the Pacific coast of North America from Canada south to California. This is an appealing landscaping shrub for a partially shaded location or for use as a shrub border. Use it in your wildlife garden to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Huckleberry requires moist, nutrient-rich, acidic, well-drained soil.

In zones 5 and 6, this huckleberry may lose its leaves for the winter, but in zones 6 through 8, the leaves tend to stay evergreen. In the springtime, when fresh growth resumes, new leaves emerge tinged with red, changing to glossy green as they mature. Small, white to pink bell-like flowers bloom in the springtime, followed by dark purple-black berries. The berries are sweet and delicious when eaten fresh or baked into pies. They also make excellent fruit preserves.  

Lingonberry

	botanical name Vaccinium vitis-idaea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 0.25 – 1.5 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 7

How about a fruit-producing shrub that makes a great ground cover? Lingonberry is a creeping, woody, evergreen shrub that rarely grows over one foot tall. They are native to the northeast and north-central United States and throughout Canada. As a landscaping plant, it prefers cooler, humid climates and won’t tolerate heat and humidity. 

Lingonberry is an attractive small shrub. Its bell-shaped pink or white flowers bloom in late spring and early summer, attracting low-flying pollinators. The sweet-tart berries mature in late summer and early fall, but get sweeter with time, so delay harvesting them as long as you can. Birds also enjoy the berries, making this a welcome plant for your wildlife and bird garden.

Raspberry

	botanical name Rubus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3 – 9 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 8

Mmmmmm, what a treat—sweet, red raspberries picked and eaten fresh from the plant. If you love to eat raspberries, you’ll also love to grow them. Look for a commercially available cultivar that’s hardy in your zone and give it some space to spread into a shrubby form. Look for a thornless variety if you won’t want to worry about being poked while picking the tasty fruits. 

Raspberry plants bloom in the spring. Some may develop a second set of blooms in summer for a second harvest in fall. Their flowers may be white, pink, or pale purple, and pollinators love them. With pollination comes fruits. The delicious and showy fruits ripen in the warm days of summer. Birds will come to feast on your crop, but hopefully, they’ll leave enough for you to enjoy as well. 

Red-Flowering Currant

	botanical name Ribes sanguineum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5 – 12 feet
	hardiness zones 6 – 8

The red-flowering currant is a deciduous shrub native to the Pacific Northwest. Currant plants, including the red flowering currant, are known hosts for the white pine blister rust, a disease fatal to certain pine species. Therefore, currants and gooseberries are prohibited in some eastern states. Before growing a currant in the eastern states, make sure your county and state permit the cultivation of these plants. 

If you happen to live along the Pacific coast or western states, however, enjoy your currants! These are attractive shrubs that produce an abundance of tart berries. The red-flowering currant has beautiful pink or red flowers that hummingbirds and pollinators adore. The fruits are eaten by birds and a variety of other small animals. When you harvest your own, consider using them to make delicious jams and jellies.

Salal Berry

	botanical name Gaultheria shallon
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 3 – 6 feet
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Salal berry is a small, shade-loving evergreen shrub. It is native to the western United States and Canada. Use it as a ground cover in your native plant garden in the Pacific Northwest, or use it to attract wildlife to your woodland garden. This hardy shrub prefers cool, moist summers and acidic soil. 

Salal berry has tough, leathery, evergreen foliage. The broad leaves provide plenty of year-round interest as an understory or shade plant. Its bell-like white flowers form on pink flowering stems and bloom in the springtime. The fruits ripen from green to deep, dark, purple-black, and somewhat resemble rounded to slightly elongated, hairy blueberries. Enjoy these sweet berries fresh or baked into your favorite pie.

Salmonberry

	botanical name Rubus spectabilis
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 3 – 12 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

Here’s a native berry-producing shrub from the Pacific Northwest. Salmonberry grows in moist forests, thickets, and forest edges from Alaska south to California. Salmonberry shrubs will grow best in this region with a cool, moist climate. It would be a lovely (and delicious) addition to your native shade garden.

Salmonberries are related to raspberries and blackberries and share the same genus, Rubus. Their attractive pink flowers bloom in the spring and are soon followed by salmon-orange thimble-like fruits. Gather the fruits carefully to avoid damaging them and enjoy them fresh. Birds and pollinators will appreciate your salmonberry plants, especially as they spread into larger thickets. Be sure to offer these shrubs plenty of space to spread.

Thimbleberry

	botanical name Rubus parviflorus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3 – 8 feet
	hardiness zones 3 – 10

Thimbleberry is a native shrub from western North America. These plants are showy and easy to grow. Allow them plenty of space to naturalize to form a hedge wild thicket to attract birds and pollinators. Thimbleberry doesn’t have spines, so it’s relatively easy to prune and keep your plants contained where you want them. 

Thimbleberry performs best in cooler climate zones with cool summers. Its white flowers bloom in the spring, supporting pollinators, including native bees and butterflies. Its summer-bearing fruits are pinkish to bright red and resemble raspberries. Treat them very carefully because they’re very fragile. While quite attractive, thimbleberries don’t have a particularly rich flavor, although they are fully edible. 

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