Origin of cranberry

Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) have long been used in North America for food and medicinal purposes. Largely cultivated in the northern United States and Canada, cranberries grow on low shrubs or vines forming large beds that are flooded in the autumn for harvesting. Most cranberries are wet-harvested: they are separated from the vine using a machine and then collected from the surface of the flooded cranberry bed. The fruit is used in a wide variety of forms, from dried or fresh fruit to sauces and juices. Rich in antioxidants and other nutrients, cranberries have become a trusted ingredient in health supplements.