Hairy huckleberry, Woolly berry
Vaccinium hirsutum
Family: Ericaceae
What it is like
A small shrub. It loses its leaves during the year. The branches are fine and green. They can be 90 cm long. The plant develops suckers and forms thickets. The plant is covered with hairs. The leaves are oval and deep green. They are 3-6 cm long. They do not have teeth. The flowers are cylinder shaped and 5-12 mm long. The fruit are black berries. They are hairy but edible and sweet. They are 6 mm across.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It does well in a shady position. It is fairly cold hardy and can tolerate temperatures down to -10°C.
Countries/locations it is found in
Britain, Europe, North America (country/location of origin), USA
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
It can be grown from suckers, seed or cuttings. Flowers are bisexual but often self-fertile so more than one plant is usually needed for good fruiting.