Scientific Name:
Vaccinium parvifolium
Pronunciation:
vack-SIN-ee-um par-vih-FOE-lee-um
Common Name:
red huckleberry
Family Name:
Ericaceae
Plant Type:
Shrub - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves are blue-green, about 3cm long, turning bright red in the fall; flowers are urn shaped, white. Winter ID: twigs zigzaged, ridged, green, bud tips with two scale points.
Habit:
Twiggy, Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical
Texture:
Fine
Mature Height:
2 - 3m
Mature Spread:
1.5 - 2.0m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
B.C. east of Cascades, B.C. west of Cascades, U.S. - northwest, U.S. - southwest
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Exposure:
Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Acidic, Humus rich, Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Attract birds, Urban agriculture, Wildlife food, Woodland margin
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Bluish, Green
Colour in Fall:
Red
Shapes:
Oblong
Apices:
Acute
Margins:
Entire
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers paired
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Urceolate
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
White, Pink
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
May, Jun
Fruit Type:
Berry (true), Edible
Fruit Colour:
Red
Fruiting Time:
Aug, Sep
Additional Info:
Showy, Edible, Botanically a false berry due to the inferior ovary (calyx opposite the pedicel like in pomes and the floral tube forms a thin layer of accessory tissue over the exocarp)
Bark Morphology:
Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green, Red, Brown
Additional Info:
Thin and angled
Leaf Bud Type:
Conical (long-pointed)
Leaf Scar Shape:
V-shaped
Propagation:
Seed, Cuttings, Layering
Course(s):
Location(s):
- (BUG) BUG garden
- (NRY) NuRserY : poly 5
- (TFL) Turf Field Lab
- (WLG) WoodLand Garden