Practical
Plants

Vaccinium membranaceum

Mountain Huckleberry

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Vaccinium genus in the family Ericaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Ericaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked[1][4][6][12]. A sweet but rather acid flavour[2]. Sour but delicious according to other reports[7][9]. A reasonable source of vitamin C[12]. This fruit is amongst the largest and best flavoured of all the wild blueberries[8]. The native North Americans would often dry the fruit for use in the winter[11].

Plant part
Fruit

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Antiseptic, astringent, carminative, hypoglycaemic[6]. An infusion of the roots and stems has been used in the treatment of heart troubles, arthritis and rheumatism[12].

Product or use
Antiarthritic
Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Cardiac
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Hypoglycaemic

Environment

Range
Western N. America - Michigan and Alaska to California.
Habitat
Thickets and woodland edges[13]. Moist woods[10].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed[14]. Stored seed might require a period of up to 3 months cold stratification[3]. Another report says that it is best to sow the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[9]. Once they are about 5cm tall, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August in a frame[14]. Slow and difficult. Layering in late summer or early autumn[14]. Another report says that spring is the best time to layer[9]. Takes 18 months[14]. Division of suckers in spring or early autumn[3].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a moist but freely-draining lime free soil, preferring one that is rich in peat or a light loamy soil with added leaf-mould[2][9]. Prefers a very acid soil with a pH in the range of 4.5 to 6, plants soon become chlorotic when lime is present. Succeeds in full sun or light shade though it fruits better in a sunny position[9]. Requires shelter from strong winds[9]. Established plants are extremely drought resistant[8]. Plants are very hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -40°c in N. America[5]. Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions[9]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

  4. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

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  5. Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987.

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  6. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2

  7. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  10. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

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  11. Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7748-0533-1

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  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  13. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

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  14. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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