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Ericaceae FAMILY

Vaccinium angustifolium

Vaccinium angustifolium

Edibility
4/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Shrub
Growth—

Vaccinium angustifolium is a very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -40°c[1]. It is tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, succeeding in areas having a dry, sunny, continental climatic regime receiving a mean average rainfall of 500mm, as well as in areas having cloudy maritime climates receiving 1,560 - 1,950mm of rain[2]. 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[3, 1]. Prefers a very acid soil with a pH in the range of 4.5 to 6, plants soon become chlorotic when lime is present. Plants can tolerate a pH as low as 3.5[2]. The average pH for 60 soils in which his species was found was 4.4, with a range of 2.8-6.6[4]. .Succeeds in full sun or light shade though it fruits better in a sunny position[1]. Requires shelter from strong winds[1]. Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions[1]. 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. This practice is followed, though not always every year, in modern commercially managed wild stands. The fire stimulates new growth, it also creates sunny openings in the forest and edges that foster the rapid spread of nutritious herbs and shrubs that favour the huckleberries[5, 2]. Fruit production typically declines as clones age - production often peaks 10 - 20 years after fire, just prior to canopy closure[1050. The plant is also cultivated for its edible fruits, there are some named varieties[6, 7]. The plant succeeds in cold northerly locations such as Maine in N. America[7] and in central Sweden. However, it is said to have little or no value as a fruit crop in Britain[3]. The typical species is not as well known as its subspecies Vaccinium angustifolium laevifolium. House[3]. Plants commence flowering and fruiting when about 4 years old from seed[2]. The plant is somewhat self-fertile, though better crops are obtained through cross-pollination by insects, especially bees[2]. Plants are very tolerant of environmental pollution, tolerating acid rain and apparently resistant to emissions produced by zinc smelters[2]. Very tolerant of fire - the top growth may be killed but the plant soon resprouts from its roots[2]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1].

Propagation

Seed - it germinates best in a light position. Sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed[8]. Stored seed might require a period of up to 3 months cold stratification[9]. Another report says that it is best to sow the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[1]. Germination takes place best at around 21°c[2]. 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. Seed can remain viable for up to 12 years when properly stored]1050]. 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 the plants are of a desired size, they can be planted in areas with moist soils and partial shade[5]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August in a frame[8]. Slow and difficult. Layering in late summer or early autumn[8]. Another report says that spring is the best time to layer[1]. Takes 18 months[8]. Division of suckers in spring or early autumn[9]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Vaccinium+angustifolium>

Pollinators

Insects, Self

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]Fire Effects Information System — http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/ ↩︎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
  3. [3]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  4. [4]The Genus Vaccinium in North America — Vander Kloet S.P. · Canadian Government Publishing Centre; Ottawa · 1988 · ISBN 0-660-13037-8 ↩︎A detailed study of the genus in N. America.
  5. [5]Plants Database — United States Department of Agriculture · http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet ↩︎An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
  6. [6]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  7. [7]Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications · 1990 · ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 ↩︎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.
  8. [8]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  9. [9]The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. — Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. · Athens Ga. Varsity Press · 1987 · ISBN 0942375009 ↩︎A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
  10. [10]Flora of N. America — http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ ↩︎An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
  11. [11]Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition — Fernald. M. L. · American Book Co.; New York · 1950 · ISBN 0442222505 ↩︎A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
  12. [12]Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. — Hedrick. U. P. · Dover Publications · 1972 · ISBN 0-486-20459-6 ↩︎Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
  13. [13]Food Plants of the N. American Indians. — Yanovsky. E. · U.S. Depf of Agriculture. · ISBN - ↩︎A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
  14. [14]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  15. [15]A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. — Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. · Van Nostrand Reinhold · 1982 · ISBN 0442222009 ↩︎Very readable.
  16. [16]An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada — Britton. N. L. Brown. A. · Dover Publications. New York. · 1970 · ISBN 0-486-22642-5 ↩︎Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
  17. [17]Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. — Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. · National Museum of Natural Sciences · 1978 · ISBN - ↩︎A very readable guide to some wild foods of Canada.
  18. [18]Blueberry — Jeff M. Jellin, PharmD, Founding Editor · Therapeutic Research Faculty. · 2007 · http://www.naturaldatabase.com ↩︎An on-line database containing extensive information on medicinal plants and research relating to them.
  19. [19]A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. — Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. · Houghton Mifflin Co. · 1990 · ISBN 0395467225 ↩︎A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
  20. [20]Native American Ethnobotany — Moerman. D. · Timber Press. Oregon. · 1998 · ISBN 0-88192-453-9 ↩︎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.