BIG HUCKLEBERRY, THINLEAF HUCKLEBERRY
Vaccinium membranaceum
SKU: 1724-20
Description
Vaccinium membranaceum is commonly referred to as huckleberry, thinleaf huckleberry, tall huckleberry, big huckleberry, mountain huckleberry, square-twig blueberry, and (ambiguously) as "black huckleberry".
Vaccinium membranaceum is native to western North America, with a range extending in the northern from southern Alaska, Yukon, and Northwest Territories south as far as Utah and the northern mountains of California. It can be found from the mountains next to the Pacific Ocean in the west, to the Rocky Mountains and Black Hills in the east. Isolated populations of this species have been found in Arizona, North Dakota, Minnesota, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Ontario.
Vaccinium membranaceum is an erect shrub growing up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in maximum height. The mature fruit ranges from red through bluish-purple to a dark, almost black berry about a centimeter wide.
Vaccinium membranaceum is the species that is the most commonly collected of all of the wild western huckleberries, and it has great commercial importance. In a good year Vaccinium membranaceum shrubs produce a lot of fruit. The amount of fruit produced by these shrubs is legendary, with stories being told of mountain sides turned purple by all of the fruit, or shrubs being weighed to the ground by large, and abundant berries.
Both humans and wildlife enjoy feasting on this fruit in the late summer and early fall. People have been eating the fruit of this species for thousands of years.
The huckleberry is the official state fruit of Idaho, with this particular species assumed to be the huckleberry in question.
Type: Hardy shrub
Hardiness zones: 4-9
Seeds per pack: 20
Germination: Start these seeds right away to preserve viability, no matter the time of year. Soak the seeds for 24 hours before planting. Seeds require light for germination, and must be exposed to bright, indirect sunlight for at least six hours each day to sprout successfully. Sow the seeds on the surface of a sterile seed-start mix, and water in. Then cover them with plastic and place in a fridge for 90 days. Be sure they stay moist. After the cold-moist stratification period they are then brought back to room temperature (20-22 °C, 68-72 °F) for them to germinate. Seedlings will begin to emerge in a month and will continue to emerge for a long period thereafter.
Description
Vaccinium membranaceum is commonly referred to as huckleberry, thinleaf huckleberry, tall huckleberry, big huckleberry, mountain huckleberry, square-twig blueberry, and (ambiguously) as "black huckleberry".
Vaccinium membranaceum is native to western North America, with a range extending in the northern from southern Alaska, Yukon, and Northwest Territories south as far as Utah and the northern mountains of California. It can be found from the mountains next to the Pacific Ocean in the west, to the Rocky Mountains and Black Hills in the east. Isolated populations of this species have been found in Arizona, North Dakota, Minnesota, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Ontario.
Vaccinium membranaceum is an erect shrub growing up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in maximum height. The mature fruit ranges from red through bluish-purple to a dark, almost black berry about a centimeter wide.
Vaccinium membranaceum is the species that is the most commonly collected of all of the wild western huckleberries, and it has great commercial importance. In a good year Vaccinium membranaceum shrubs produce a lot of fruit. The amount of fruit produced by these shrubs is legendary, with stories being told of mountain sides turned purple by all of the fruit, or shrubs being weighed to the ground by large, and abundant berries.
Both humans and wildlife enjoy feasting on this fruit in the late summer and early fall. People have been eating the fruit of this species for thousands of years.
The huckleberry is the official state fruit of Idaho, with this particular species assumed to be the huckleberry in question.
Type: Hardy shrub
Hardiness zones: 4-9
Seeds per pack: 20
Germination: Start these seeds right away to preserve viability, no matter the time of year. Soak the seeds for 24 hours before planting. Seeds require light for germination, and must be exposed to bright, indirect sunlight for at least six hours each day to sprout successfully. Sow the seeds on the surface of a sterile seed-start mix, and water in. Then cover them with plastic and place in a fridge for 90 days. Be sure they stay moist. After the cold-moist stratification period they are then brought back to room temperature (20-22 °C, 68-72 °F) for them to germinate. Seedlings will begin to emerge in a month and will continue to emerge for a long period thereafter.
