Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. (syn.: Oxycoccus macrocarpus (Ait.) Pursh) (N-Am.) – An exceptional escape from cultivation, known at least since 1957 from a single location in Kalmthout-Boterbergen (Vansteenvoort 2002, Verloove 2002). A small population is more or less naturalised in peaty heathland, probably introduced by birds.
Vaccinium macrocarpon is cultivated for its edible fruits and is well-naturalised in neighbouring countries (Germany, the British Isles, the Netherlands). In the Netherlands it is considered to be an invasive species on the Wadden Isles (Weeda 2009).
Selected literature:
Gudžinskas Z., Petrulaitis L. & Arlikevičiūtė L. (2014) Vaccinium macrocarpon – a new alien plant species in Lithuania. Bot. Lithuanica 20(1): 41-45. [available online at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zigmantas_Gudzinskas]
Lippert W. & Merxmüller H. (1986) Botanische Kurzberichte. Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton im Haspelmoor. Ber. Bayer. Bot. Ges. 57: 183-184.
Vansteenvoort D. (2002) Vaccinium macrocarpon, nog steeds aanwezig in Kalmthout. Dumortiera 79: 17.
Verloove F. (2002) Ingeburgerde plantensoorten in Vlaanderen. Mededeling van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud n° 20: 227 p.
Weeda E.J. (2009) The role of archaeophytes and neophytes in the Dutch coastal dunes. J. Coast Conserv. 14(2): 75-79.