The Plant and Its Fruit
a description
Huckleberries are usually members of the Vaccinium family. The word huckleberry is used to denote some of the sweet and edible berries found in the wild. Possibly named so for their round shape, huckleberry plants produce one single berry per blossom (although there can be many on a stem) that can be black, blue, or even red in color, depending on the species. The "Evergreen Huckleberry" Vaccinium ovatum, is the type that is pictured on the homepage for this web site. Probably best known is the species Vaccinium caespitosum, otherwise known as the "dwarf blueberry. "
Leaves on these plants alternate. Some species' leaves are entirely deciduous (fall off during the winter months) while others remain on the plant the entire year. The leaves can be described usually as oval or elliptical in shape and often with bright green or bluish green coloring.
Flowers are often bell or urn-shaped and hang down in clusters from the branch. They are generally white but can have blushes or streaks of pink in them.
Growing Conditions
soil, nutrients, and habitat specifics
The habitats that these types of plants are found in can range from low elevation bogs, subalpine wet meadows, moist coniferous forests, moist rocky ridges, and alpine tundra.
Members of the blueberry family need very acidic soil with a pH ranging between 5.5 and 4. They like damp but not waterlogged soil with high organic matter levels. A great way to increase the acidity content of the soil is to mulch with composted bark or pine needles. Cultivated blueberries often like sun but wild huckleberries may be found at times to prefer shade. Again, this is something that depends on the species.
Pojar and MacKinnon list 6 species of Vaccinium in their book that describes plants of the Pacific Northwest coast.
- Vaccinium membranaceum * Black Huckleberry
- Vaccinium parvifolium * Red Huckleberry
- Vaccinium caespitosum * Dwarf Blueberry
- Vaccinium deliciosum * Blue Leaved (or Cascade) Huckleberry
- Vaccinium ovatum * Evergreen Huckleberry
- Vaccinium uliginosum * Bog blueberry
Animal Relationships
above all else it is about the relationship ...
Humans and huckleberries have long had an established relationship. Many Native American tribes used berries from these plants in cakes, cooked, dried, mashed, or preserved in grease. Modern day Americans use these berries in jams, pies, cakes, and/or muffins. Always, they are perhaps best tasting when eaten fresh.
Other animals also benefit from these berries. Songbirds, gamebirds, and mammals such as small rodents and even bears enjoy the sweet berries these plants produce. When these plants are used as a hedgerow, they can also provide much needed shelter for small animals as well.