Common Name: Black Huckleberry

General Information

Vaccinium ovalifolium is a much-branched, deciduous shrub of slender form, usually growing around 50 - 90cm tall, occasionally reaching 400cm. The plant usually forms a clump of growth, only suckering when disturbed, and rarely forming extensive colonies[, , , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. A commonly collected food of the local native N. American tribes, the fruit is still sometimes sold in local markets.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Northern N. America - Alaska to Newfoundland, south to Oregon, Idaho, South Dakota, Michigan and Nova Scotia; E. Asia - Russian Far East, Japan

Habitat

Moist or mesic coniferous woods, transitional habitats adjacent to these coniferous stands, cut-over coniferous woods, verges of road cuts, margins of coniferous woods, peaty slopes; at elevations up to 2,100 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

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[, ]. Plants can grow well on nutrient poor but humus-rich sites such as rotting tree trunks[]. Prefers a very acid soil with a pH in the range of 4.0 to 6, plants soon become chlorotic when lime is present. Succeeds in full sun or light to heavy shade though it fruits better in a sunny position[, ]. Requires shelter from strong winds[].
Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions[].
The fruit is borne singly rather than in clusters[].
This species is closely related to Vaccinium parvifolium[].
This species readily hybridizes with a number of other Vaccinium species in the wild, including Vaccinium alaskaense, Vaccinium caespitosum and Vaccinium scoparium[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , , , ]. Mildly acidic[, ]. A pleasant sweet flavour[]. Although the flavour is good, the berries are gritty and tend to rot easily, making them less popular that the fruits of other related species[]. The fruit is a reasonable source of vitamin C[]. The fruit can also be dried for later use[] when they have a flavour like raisins[]. The blue, dull purplish-black or black berries are around 8 - 10mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

Antiseptic, astringent, carminative, hypoglycaemic[].
An infusion of the leaves and sugar have been given to a mother after childbirth[].

Other Uses

A blue or black dye is obtained from the fruit[]. This can be used as an ink[].

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed[]. Stored seed might require a period of up to 3 months cold stratification[]. Another report says that it is best to sow the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[]. 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[]. Slow and difficult.
Layering in late summer or early autumn[]. Another report says that spring is the best time to layer[]. Takes 18 months[].
Division of suckers in spring or early autumn[].