Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Vaccinium

Species:

Vaccinium crassifolium

USDA Symbol:

VACR

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Subshrub

Height:

30 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Ground Cover:

Yes

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals, bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from underground stems following fire. Found in fire-maintained pine savannas and pocosins.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

4.5 - 5.5 (strongly acidic to acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to pine barrens and sandy woods

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Vegetative propagation via cuttings is often more reliable.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI