The Development of a Cranberry

Lessons

Oct 5

Cranberries are so much more than floating red berries. The Cranberry Plant Development lesson takes a closer look at the cranberry plants. Cranberries are perennials, which means they grow year after year. This lesson will take students through each plant stage answering some common questions along the way.

How long does it take a cranberry to grow? Once established, it takes 16 months for a cranberry plant to produce a crop. How is this possible? The secret lies in the buds.

In the spring the tiny buds of a cranberry plant begin to wake up from their dormant sleep. With the warming weather the plants begin to grow. From those tiny buds form new uprights that will bear the fruit for the season. The flower buds or hooks will emerge followed by the blossoms. After bees pollinate the blossoms, green fruit begins to form, in July and August. It is during this time that buds for the next season form on top of the upright. This is the beginning of the 16-month life cycle. That’s right, next season’s crop starts to form before this season’s crop is harvested!

Cranberry Learning’s lesson will take students through each major plant stage from buds to berries. Helping them to understand the biology of perennials. The lesson comes with a simple matching worksheet to test their knowledge.