Vaccinium membranaceum
Douglas ex Torr.
Ericaceae
Vaccinium coccineum Piper
Vaccinium globulare Rydb.
Vaccinium myrtilloides rigidum Hook.
Common Name: Mountain Huckleberry
General Information
Vaccinium membranaceum is an erect, deciduous shrub growing from a rhizomatous rootstock. It rarely develops a crown, but spreads at the roots to form small to extensive clumps of stems usually 10 -110cm tall, occasionally to 300cm[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
,
1050- Title
- Fire Effects Information System
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants
,
1131- Title
- The Genus Vaccinium in North America
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vander Kloet S.P.
- Publisher
- Canadian Government Publishing Centre; Ottawa
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- 0-660-13037-8
- Description
- A detailed study of the genus in N. America.
].
This species is, by far, the most widely commercially utilized huckleberry for fruit in Western N. America. It is harvested extensively from the wildboth for trade and for local use[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
]. It is an especially important source of food for native peoples throughout western North America, and the dried berries were used for winter food and trade. The plant yields a good quality fruit, said to be the best quality fruit within its native range[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
]. The plant also has medicinal qualities.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
43- Title
- Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition
- Publication
-
- Author
- Fernald. M. L.
- Publisher
- American Book Co.; New York
- Year
- 1950
- ISBN
- 0442222505
- Description
- A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Western N. America - Michigan and Alaska to California.
Habitat
Thickets and woodland edges[
43- Title
- Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition
- Publication
-
- Author
- Fernald. M. L.
- Publisher
- American Book Co.; New York
- Year
- 1950
- ISBN
- 0442222505
- Description
- A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
]. Moist woods[
235- Title
- An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications. New York.
- Year
- 1970
- ISBN
- 0-486-22642-5
- Description
- Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
]. Thickets and on montane slopes in coniferous woods; growing in sandy orgravelly soils, ranging from moist to dry growing conditions; at elevations from 1,000 - 1,800 metres[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Deciduous Shrub |
Height | 0.80 m |
Pollinators | Bees, Insects |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Vaccinium membranaceum is very hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -40°c in N. America[
160- Title
- Wonder Crops. 1987.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Natural Food Institute,
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.
]. However, it is native to higher elevations and can be difficult to grow at low elevations[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
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[
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. 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[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Requires shelter from strong winds[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Established plants are extremely drought resistant and will carry on flowering and developing fruit even after 4 - 6 months without rain[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
,
1050- Title
- Fire Effects Information System
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants
].
The plant strongly dislikes root disturbance and can be difficult to establish. It is best grown in a pot until being planted out into its permanent position[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
In the autumn, after the fruit harvest, it was common for native N. American people to burn the areas where the plants grew in order to create a favourable habitat and increase future fruit yields. Regular, annual burning does not usually kill off the top growth, even if it does, the fire als stimulates new growth. The fire also creates sunny openings in the forest and edges that foster the rapid spread of nutritious herbs and shrubs that favour the huckleberries[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
,
1050- Title
- Fire Effects Information System
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants
].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw or cooked[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
159- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Indiana.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McPherson. A. and S.
- Publisher
- Indiana University Press
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-253-28925-4
- Description
- A nice pocket guide to this region of America.
,
172- Title
- Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Schofield. J. J.
- Publisher
- Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0882403699
- Description
- A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
,
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. A sweet but rather acid flavour[
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
]. Sour but delicious according to other reports[
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. This fruit is amongst the largest and best flavoured of all the wild blueberries[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. A reasonable source of vitamin C[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. The native North Americans would often dry the fruit for use in the winter[
256- Title
- Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples
- Publication
-
- Author
- Turner. N. J.
- Publisher
- UBC Press. Vancouver.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-7748-0533-1
- Description
- Excellent little handbook about the native food plants of Western Canada. Good descriptions of the plants and their uses with colour photos of most plants.
]. Traditionally, the surplus berries were dried slowly over a fire kept smoldering in a rotten log - this method of drying the berries has been shown to preserves the bulk of the Vitamin C content in the fruits[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
The shiny or dull black or deep purple, rarely red or white, berries are around 9 - 13mm in diameter[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
Medicinal
An infusion of the roots and stems has been used in the treatment of heart troubles, arthritis and rheumatism[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
The leaves and finely chopped stems contain quinic acid, a former therapeutic agent used in the treatment of gout - it is said to inhibit uric acid formation but has never been widely used because of mixed clinical results[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
The leaves have been widely used to lower or modify blood sugar levels. Many herbalists maintain that bilberry-leaf tea may be useful in stabilizing blood sugar levels in cases of diabetes, and medical research has shown that consumption of the leaf extract decreases blood sugar levels shortly after administration. Taken on regular basis, bilberry tea will gradually help alleviate both glycosuria and hyperglycemia and has a benign but useful effect as an adjunct treatment to diabetes mellitus[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
The leaves are believed also to stimulate appetite, and have astringent and antiseptic qualities that are useful in the treatment of urinary disorders[
172- Title
- Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Schofield. J. J.
- Publisher
- Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0882403699
- Description
- A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
,
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
Other Uses
The juice of the fruits is used as a lavender or purple dye. It is traditionally used to colour the twined corn husk bags made by the Nez Perce[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
Propagation
Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed[
78- Title
- Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sheat. W. G.
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
]. Stored seed might require a period of up to 3 months cold stratification[
113- Title
- The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W.
- Publisher
- Athens Ga. Varsity Press
- Year
- 1987
- ISBN
- 0942375009
- Description
- A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
]. Another report says that it is best to sow the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. 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.
Rhizome cuttings in early spring or late summer and autumn. Dig up the rhizomes and cut them into lengths of 10cm or longer. Place the cuttings in vermiculite at 21°c. Once the roots are established and meristematic activity is initiated, the small cuttings may be moved to individual pots with a peat:sand soil mixture (1:1) potting soil. The soil should be kept fairly moist. When plants are the size desired, plant in soils that are fairly acidic[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
]. Plants must be kept well watered to become established[
277- Title
- Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August in a frame[
78- Title
- Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sheat. W. G.
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
]. Slow and difficult.
Layering in late summer or early autumn[
78- Title
- Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sheat. W. G.
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
]. Another report says that spring is the best time to layer[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Takes 18 months[
78- Title
- Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sheat. W. G.
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Division of suckers in spring or early autumn[
113- Title
- The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W.
- Publisher
- Athens Ga. Varsity Press
- Year
- 1987
- ISBN
- 0942375009
- Description
- A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
].