Common Blueberry vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Common Blueberry vs Mountain Huckleberry

Vaccinium myrtilloides

Vaccinium membranaceum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Common Blueberry
Mountain Huckleberry

Common Blueberry is an August maturing berry that is wonderfully flavorful and contain more antioxidants by volume than the highbush varieties.
They'll give your baked goods a wonderful pop of flavor.

It isn't as large, pretty, or high yielding as the other varieties we carry. But Common Blueberry is one of the only blueberries that will survive in plant hardiness zones 1A to 2B.

Note: Blueberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.0.

Mountain Huckleberry is a small shrub known for its tart to sweet berries. The berries range from purple-black to red-black, and can be eaten fresh or used in jams and syrups. It is a plant native to Alberta and the berries are frequently enjoyed by both people and wildlife.

In traditional Indigenous fire management practices, berry patches were burned after harvest. This would reduce the invasion of other plants allowing the Mountain Huckleberry to thrive. Its foliage has low flammability and can survive low severity fires, and even if destroyed they regrow from the roots.

Note: Mountain Huckleberry requires specific soil conditions. They need moist, well-drained, acidic soil with a pH around 5.5.

Common Blueberry Quick Facts

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 5a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: yellow, orange, and red
Berries: blue
Berries: dark purple
Firmness: medium
Flavor: tart
Flavor: sweet, acidic
Harvest: late summer
Harvest: mid to late summer
Flowers: white
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: high




Other Names: canadian blueberry, sourtop blueberry, velvetleaf blueberry, velvetleaf huckleberry
Other Names: big huckleberry, black huckleberry, tall bilberry, thinleaf huckleberry