Description

General: Huckleberry Family (Ericaceae). Black huckleberry is an erect, deciduous shrub 0.1-2 m tall. The leaves, up to 5 cm long, are elliptical with a long pointed tip and a finely serrated margin. The bell-shaped flowers are creamy-pink, and are found singly on the underside of the twigs. The berries are large, spherical, sweet, and dark purple or black. In some forms the berries are covered with a waxy bloom; others have shiny dark berries.

Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site. Black huckleberry is found in thickets and on Montana slopes in coniferous woods at elevations from 1000-1800 m. It grows in sandy or gravelly soils, ranging from moist to dry growing conditions. Vaccinium membranaceum grows from British Columbia to Alberta and Ontario, north to the Mackenzie Delta area, south to California in the Klamath Range and North Coast Range, and east to Michigan.