Red huckleberry
Vaccinium parvifolium
Family: Ericaceae
What it is like
A shrub. It grows 1.8 m high and spreads 1.8 m wide. It loses its leaves during the year, but can keep its leaves in warmer climates. The leaves are 25 mm long. They are light green. The flowers are 6 mm wide. They are green with red tints. The fruit are pinkish-red berries. They let light through. They are 1.25 cm across. They are edible. They contain about 20 seeds.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It does best with light shade. It grows in rocky hillsides in Alaska. They are cold hardy. It suits hardiness zones 6-10.
Countries/locations it is found in
Alaska, Asia, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Britain, Canada, China, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Europe, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mediterranean, Netherlands, North America, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Siberia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA, Yugoslavia
How it is used for food
The fruit are used for tarts, jams and jellies. They are sour but can be eaten raw. They are also dried for later use.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings.
Its other names
Local names
Red bilberry, Red whortleberry, Sqala