Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Vaccinium

Species:

Vaccinium parvifolium

USDA Symbol:

VAPA

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

400 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

pink, white, greenish

Food Forest:

Contains edible parts

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)

Reported Fauna Sightings

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 and root crowns following fire. Common in post-fire succession in Pacific Northwest forests.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, well-drained, acidic forest soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.0 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Thrives in forest understory with organic matter

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination; surface sow on acidic medium. Germination can be slow and erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI