Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Vaccinium

Species:

Vaccinium erythrocarpum

USDA Symbol:

VAER

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

180 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

pink, white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

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)

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 from root crown following fire. Found in high-elevation forests with periodic fire regimes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

4.5 - 5.5 (strongly acidic to acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers cool, mountainous regions

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. Surface sow on acidic medium.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI