There are two varieties of cranberry. There’s the bog cranberry, otherwise known as Vaccinium oxycoccos, which has smaller fruits (about ½ inch in size) and grows in northern and central Europe. Then there’s Vaccinium macrocarpon, which bears fruits as large as one inch in diameter.

The latter is native to North America. Indigenous inhabitants applied cranberries to wounds because it speeds up the healing process. In Europe, the local variety is valued for its antiseptic, antioxidant, and medicinal properties, e.g., in urinary tract and bladder infections. It is also used as a supportive agent in cancer treatment and protects the cardiovascular system.