Dwarf Bilberry
Vaccinium cespitosum
- Native to:
- Canada, Labrador, Mexico, United States
John Rusk (www.flickr.com) from Berkeley, CA, United States of America
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Genus:
- Vaccinium
- Species:
- Vaccinium cespitosum
- USDA Symbol:
- VACE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub
- Height:
- 30 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Agriades rusticus, 🛑Behr's sulphur (Colias behrii), Clouded Sulphur (Colias scudderii), Epidemia mariposa, Freija fritillary (Clossiana freija), Idas blue (Lycaeides idas), Interior Sulphur (Colias interior)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, bears
- Fall Color:
- red, orange
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes following fire. Often increases in abundance post-burn in subalpine and boreal habitats.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.0 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- thrives in open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination and benefit from cold stratification. Germination can be slow and erratic.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cuttings were re-cut and terminal buds were removed. Cuttings were treated with 2,000 ppm liquid IBA and placed in a mist bed with bottom heat. Cuttings were 4 cm in length and 5 mm cm in diameter.
Establishment: Softwood cuttings had significantly higher number and quality of roots compared to semi-softwood cuttings taken one month earlier. The plant is found from Alaska to California and east through the Rocky Mountains from B.C. to Alberta, south to New Mexico. and east across Canada to the Atlantic coast.
Source: npn.rngr.net