Black Huckleberry
Vaccinium membranaceum
Ericaceae
Edibility - Excellent
Health Benefits - Excellent
Photo taken by Calvin De Jong
Description
Height 1.5-2 m
Width 1-3 m
Leaves 1-2 cm wide, 5 cm long
Flowers 6 mm
Seeds .05 mm (Tinny lol)
The black huckleberry is an erect perineal shrub that can grow for up to 20 years. The branches are fragile and extra care should be taken when harvesting the fruit from these magnificent shrubs. They are pollinated by bees, the fruit is almost black when ripe they are about a centimetre wide and contain approx 47 tiny seeds. The fruit of these species has been enjoyed for thousands of years and for great reasons they are extremely healthy for you. The huckleberry season typically runs through June to Aug and at higher elevations can be found throughout Sep. By mid-September the leaves on the huckleberry plants start to turn from brilliant green to a vibrant red, this is a great time to head out and look for new berry patch as the bushes are easy to spot.
Distribution and habitat
Elevation 0-3500 m
Soil clay, loam
pH 5.5
Zones 3
Sun full, partial shade
The black huckleberry is native to Western North America, it typically grows at higher elevations in subalpine and alpine environments. It can be found in open meadow areas, along old roads, forest, bogs, and lake basins, also in areas after a fire several years later, fires can enhance the soil compostion and sun exposure to favour huckleberries favorite growing conditions.
Uses & Benefits
Huckleberry has been traditionally used for thousands of years. It's one of the most sought after berries here in the Pacific Northwest. They were used as a winter food source as they could easily be tried and preserved for later uses when the winters whee long and cold and other food was hard to find.
Parts Used:
Fruit
Leaves
One can use huckleberry to:
Help with lowering cholesterol
Heart diseases
Muscular degeneration
Glaucoma
Varicose veins
Peptic ulcers
Cardiovascular diseases
Eye diseases
Ways to use Huckleberry:
Tea
Creams
Tinctures
Extracts
Pies
Jams, Jellies
Cakes
Warnings & Hazards:
Bears love huckleberries so be cautious when out harvesting these beauties.
Never dig up a huckleberry bush for transportation, they will more than likely die.
Calvin De Jong
Content Writer/Photographer
I am a naturalist from the Okanagan. My passions are taken photos of nature and foraging all its wonders.