We need help! In recent months our income dropped considerably and we need more donations from our users to avoid getting into financial difficulty. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Vaccinium praestans - Lamb.

Common Name Kamchatka Bilberry
Family Ericaceae
USDA hardiness 4-8
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Mossy bogs, swampy woods (often on rotting fallen tree trunks), elevated places and slopes in northern Asia[74].
Range Northern N. America to N.E. Asia.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (4 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade
Vaccinium praestans Kamchatka Bilberry


flickr.com/people/60548141@N00
Vaccinium praestans Kamchatka Bilberry
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Transactions_of_the_Linnean_Society_of_London,_Volume_10_-_tab._9.jpg

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Vaccinium praestans is a deciduous Shrub growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower in June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Ground Cover;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:

Fruit - raw or cooked[1, 105]. The taste is sweet and fragrant, somewhat like a strawberry[11]. A delicious flavour[183]. The fruit is about 12mm in diameter[200].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

A good ground cover for cool moist shady areas[182].

Special Uses

Ground cover

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

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[11, 200]. Prefers a very acid soil with a pH in the range of 4.5 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[200]. Requires shelter from strong winds[200]. Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions[200]. In this country, plants grow better in northern England and Scotland, in southern England they need a position with plenty of light but little direct sun[11]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed[78]. Stored seed might require a period of up to 3 months cold stratification[113]. Another report says that it is best to sow the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[200]. Once they are about 3cm 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[78]. Slow and difficult. Layering in late summer or early autumn[78]. Another report says that spring is the best time to layer[200]. Takes 18 months[78]. Division of suckers in spring or early autumn[113]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, but we have found that in general it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Russian Federation (Kurile Islands, Primorye, Amur, Kamcatskij kraj, Sakhalin), Japan (Hokkaidô, Honshu (central & north))

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Vaccinium alaskaenseAlaska BlueberryShrub1.8 -  LMSNM20 
Vaccinium amoenumLarge-Cluster BlueberryShrub4.0 4-8  LMSNMWe20 
Vaccinium angustifoliumLow Sweet Blueberry, Lowbush blueberryShrub0.2 2-6  LMSNDM310
Vaccinium angustifolium laevifoliumLow Sweet BlueberryShrub0.6 2-6  LMSNDM300
Vaccinium arboreumFarkleberryTree5.0 6-9  LMSNM213
Vaccinium arbusculaDwarf bilberryShrub0.6 0-0  LMSNMWe10 
Vaccinium arctostaphylosCaucasian WhortleberryShrub3.0 5-9  LMSNM300
Vaccinium asheiRabbiteye BlueberryShrub5.0 7-10  LMSNM20 
Vaccinium australeNorthern BlueberryShrub1.5 2-7 MLMSNM412
Vaccinium bracteatumSea BilberryShrub1.0 6-9  LMSNM11 
Vaccinium brittonii Shrub2.0 -  LMSNDM10 
Vaccinium caesarienseNew Jersey blueberryShrub1.5 -  LMSNMWe20 
Vaccinium caespitosumDwarf BilberryShrub0.3 0-0  LMSNM310
Vaccinium ciliatum Shrub2.0 -  LMSNM10 
Vaccinium constablaeiHillside BlueberryShrub1.0 -  LMSNM30 
Vaccinium corymbosumHigh-Bush Blueberry, American Blueberry, Swamp Blueberry, BlueberryShrub2.0 3-8 MLMSNM410
Vaccinium crassifoliumCreeping BlueberryShrub0.1 6-9  LMSNM302
Vaccinium cylindraceum Shrub3.0 9-11  LMSNM20 
Vaccinium darrowiiDarrow's blueberryShrub0.0 0-0  LMSNDM10 
Vaccinium deliciosumAlpine Blueberry, Cascade bilberryShrub0.3 5-9  LMSNM300
Vaccinium duclouxii Shrub3.0 8-11  LMSNM30 
Vaccinium elliottiiElliott's blueberryShrub4.0 5-9  LMSNM10 
Vaccinium erythrocarpumSouthern Mountain CranberryShrub1.5 5-9  LMSNM300
Vaccinium formosumSwamp Highbush Blueberry, Southern blueberryShrub4.0 5-9  LMSNM300
Vaccinium fuscatumBlack Highbush BlueberryShrub3.5 4-8  LMSNMWe300
Vaccinium hirsutumHairy HuckleberryShrub0.0 5-9  LMSNM30 
Vaccinium hirtum Shrub1.0 5-9  LMSNM10 
Vaccinium japonicum Shrub0.7 5-9  LMSNM20 
Vaccinium koreanum Shrub0.0 -  LMSNM10 
Vaccinium leucanthum Shrub0.0 -  LMSNM10 
123

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Lamb.

Botanical References

1174200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Vaccinium praestans  
All the information contained in these pages is Copyright (C) Plants For A Future, 1996-2012.
Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567,
Web Design & Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Some information cannot be used for commercial reasons or be modified (but some can). Please view the copyright link for more information.