Blue huckleberry
Vaccinium membranaceum

Family: Ericaceae

What it is like

An erect shrub. It grows 1 m or more high. The leaves are alternate and simple. They are thin and sword shaped. They are 5 cm long. There are fine teeth along the edge. The leaves turn red in the autumn. The flowers are pinkish white or yellowish-green. They are small and occur singly on short stalks. The flowers are bell shaped. The fruit are large blue berries. They are juicy and sweet. They are 5 mm across. They are edible.

Where it is found

It is a cold temperate plant. It grows near the timberline in the Rocky Mountains. It suits cold, upland places. It can tolerate temperatures down to -40°C. It normally needs moist conditions. It can tolerate drought. It benefits from an acidic organic mulch. It is not tolerant to wind. It does best with a pH of 4.5-6.

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Canada, North America (country/location of origin), USA

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw. They are also used for pies, dried or in preserves. The fruit can be dried and stored.

The fruit are popular.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

It is not easy to grow outside in natural environment. It can be grown from seed or by suckers. It does not transplant easily.

Its other names

Local names

Big whortleberry, Black mountain huckleberry, Globe huckleberry, Mountain bilberry, Mountain huckleberry, Tall huckleberry, Thin leafed blueberry, Tokabonoma, Tokaponoma, Twin-leafed huckleberry, Velvet-leaf huckleberry

Synonyms

Vaccinium globulare Rydb.; Some have this as a separate plant.