California Huckleberry
Vaccinium ovatum
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Kollibri1969
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Genus:
- Vaccinium
- Species:
- Vaccinium ovatum
- USDA Symbol:
- VAOV2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub
- Height:
- 400 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink
- Food Forest:
- Contains edible parts
- 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
Adelphagrotis stellaris, Cameraria nemoris, Eucalantica polita, Lotisma trigonana, orange tortrix moth (Argyrotaenia franciscana)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) Moths:Cameraria nemoris
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crown following fire. Common component of Pacific Coast fire-adapted shrub communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.0 (acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Thrives in organic matter-rich environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds are tiny and require light for germination. Best results with fresh seed sown on surface of acidic medium.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are stratified for 60 days in the refrigerator.
Establishment: Seeds are collected between July 1st and November 15th. Mature fruits are dark purple. Seed is yellowish-tan at maturity. V. ovatum is found from British Columbia south to San Diego county, California and Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz islands; mostly below 2,500 feet elevation.
Source: npn.rngr.net