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Ericaceae FAMILY

Vaccinium myrtilloides

Vaccinium myrtilloides

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Shrub
Growth—

Although Vaccinium myrtillides is very cold-tolerant, growing as far north as the Northwest Territories in Canada, the plant can be killed to ground level in very cold weather (resprouting again from the roots in spring) unless it is covered by a blanket of snow. The young growth in spring is also frost susceptible, showing some damage at -1°c and total die-back at -14°c[1]. 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, 3]. Succeeds on infertile sites which might be rich in organinc matter but have relatively small amounts of many essential elements[1]. Prefers a very acid soil, succeeding in soils with a pH in the range of 3 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[3, 1]. Requires shelter from strong winds[3]. This species hybridizes with a number of other Vaccinium species including Vaccinium boreale, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium darrowii, Vaccinium tenellum, Vaccinium atrococcum, Vaccinium vacillans, and Vaccinium angustifolium[1]. The plant is often a compnent of commercially managed areas of blueberries (mainly Vaccinium angustifolium). Where both species are present, yields are often lower than in areas where only Vaccinium angustifolium grows. Cross pollination apparently results in a reduced fruit set[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 blueberries[4, 1]. Fruit production typically declines as clones age - production often peaks 10 - 20 years after fire, just prior to canopy closure[1050. Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions[3]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[3].

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed[5]. Stored seed might require a period of up to 3 months cold stratification[6]. Another report says that it is best to sow the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[3]. 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[5]. Slow and difficult. Layering in late summer or early autumn[5]. Another report says that spring is the best time to layer[3]. Takes 18 months[5]. Division of suckers in spring or early autumn[6]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Vaccinium+myrtilloides>

Pollinators

Bees

References

  1. [1]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
  2. [2]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.
  3. [3]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.
  4. [4]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.
  5. [5]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.
  6. [6]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.
  7. [7]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.
  8. [8]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.
  9. [9]Growing Unusual Fruit. — Simmons. A. E. · David & Charles; Newton Abbot. · 1972 · ISBN 0-7153-5531-7 ↩︎A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.
  10. [10]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.
  11. [11]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.
  12. [12]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.
  13. [13]Economic Botany. — Hill. A. F. · The Maple Press · 1952 · ISBN - ↩︎Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some detail about the plants it does cover.
  14. [14]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.
  15. [15]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.
  16. [16]Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples — Turner. N. J. · UBC Press. Vancouver. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7748-0533-1 ↩︎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.