Vaccinium myrtilloides
COMMON CANADIAN BLUEBERRY, HUCKLEBERRY
SKU: 1721-20
Description
Vaccinium myrtilloides is one of the sweetest blueberries known! It is a shrub with common names including common blueberry, Canadian blueberry, velvetleaf huckleberry, and velvetleaf blueberry. It is common in much of North America, reported from all 10 Canadian provinces plus Nunavut and Northwest Territories, as well as from the northeastern and Great Lakes states in the United States. It is also known to occur in Montana and Washington.
Vaccinium myrtilloides is a low spreading deciduous shrub growing up to 50 cm (20 inches) tall, often spreading to form small thickets. The leaves are bright green, paler underneath with velvety hairs. The flowers are white, bell-shaped, 5 mm (0.2 inches) long. The fruit is a small sweet bright blue to dark blue berry.
Vaccinium myrtilloides grows best in open coniferous woods with dry loose acidic soils; it is also found in forested bogs and rocky areas. Vaccinium myrtilloides hybridizes in the wild with Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry).
It is cultivated and grown commercially in Canada and Maine, mainly harvested from managed wild patches.
It is also an important food source for black bears, deer, small mammals, and birds.
This species is listed as endangered in Indiana and Connecticut, as threatened in Iowa and Ohio, and as sensitive in Washington (state).
Hardiness zones: 2-8
Germination: Start these seeds right away for best germination rates. Start indoors. Soak the seeds for 12-24 hours before planting. Your planting container should have holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Sow the seeds just under the surface of a sterile seed-start mix, and water in. Then cover them with plastic and place in a fridge for 60-90 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. Germination is generally 30-90 days after the warming period, though some can take longer. Do not discard the planting tray, as patience is needed, and they are well worth the wait.
Description
Vaccinium myrtilloides is one of the sweetest blueberries known! It is a shrub with common names including common blueberry, Canadian blueberry, velvetleaf huckleberry, and velvetleaf blueberry. It is common in much of North America, reported from all 10 Canadian provinces plus Nunavut and Northwest Territories, as well as from the northeastern and Great Lakes states in the United States. It is also known to occur in Montana and Washington.
Vaccinium myrtilloides is a low spreading deciduous shrub growing up to 50 cm (20 inches) tall, often spreading to form small thickets. The leaves are bright green, paler underneath with velvety hairs. The flowers are white, bell-shaped, 5 mm (0.2 inches) long. The fruit is a small sweet bright blue to dark blue berry.
Vaccinium myrtilloides grows best in open coniferous woods with dry loose acidic soils; it is also found in forested bogs and rocky areas. Vaccinium myrtilloides hybridizes in the wild with Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry).
It is cultivated and grown commercially in Canada and Maine, mainly harvested from managed wild patches.
It is also an important food source for black bears, deer, small mammals, and birds.
This species is listed as endangered in Indiana and Connecticut, as threatened in Iowa and Ohio, and as sensitive in Washington (state).
Hardiness zones: 2-8
Germination: Start these seeds right away for best germination rates. Start indoors. Soak the seeds for 12-24 hours before planting. Your planting container should have holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Sow the seeds just under the surface of a sterile seed-start mix, and water in. Then cover them with plastic and place in a fridge for 60-90 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. Germination is generally 30-90 days after the warming period, though some can take longer. Do not discard the planting tray, as patience is needed, and they are well worth the wait.
