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Vaccinium - (Michx.)A.Gray.

Common Name Box Huckleberry
Family Ericaceae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats On slopes and in dry sandy woods[43] on dry acidic sandy soils[200].
Range Eastern N. America - Delaware and Pennsylvania to Virginia.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full shade Semi-shade Full sun
Vaccinium Box Huckleberry


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Choess
Vaccinium Box Huckleberry
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. Vol. 2: 696.

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Vaccinium is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 1 m (3ft 3in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Vaccinium brachycerum. V. buxifolium.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[3, 62]. Not highly regarded[183]. Tasteless[177, 200]. 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

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Other Uses

A good ground cover plant[200]. Spreading quite freely, it should be spaced about 30cm apart each way[208].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Requires a lime-free moist peaty soil, thriving in sun or part shade[182, 200]. Prefers a position in partial or full shade[208]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[200]. This species rarely sets viable seed[200]. There is a colony in New Jersey that covers 3.8 hectares of land, it is estimated to be 10,000 years old and to have originated vegetatively from one single mother plant[200]. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. An evergreen. A clumping mat former. Forming a dense prostrate carpet spreading indefinitely [1-2].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Plant Propagation

Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame[200]. Stored seed requires 1 month warm stratification followed by 2 months cold[113]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots of lime-free compost and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer when they are at least 15cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[200]. Layering. Division in spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: United States, Pennsylvania (southeast), West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia,

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

(Michx.)A.Gray.

Botanical References

1143200

Links / References

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