Golden Currant vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Golden Currant vs Mountain Huckleberry

Vaccinium membranaceum

Ribes aureum

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Mountain Huckleberry
Golden Currant

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.

Golden Currant produces berries for jams, jellies, sauces and even pemmican. This currant bush is very dense, allowing for use as a hedge, windbreak, or wildlife habitat.

This plant is also a very popular rootstock to graft popular red and white currant varieties to. The resulting plants are taller, more productive, and easier to harvest.

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Golden Currant Quick Facts

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Zone: 5a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: medium


Fall colour: reddish purple
Flowers: yellow
Berries: dark purple
Berries: glossy black berries
Flavor: sweet, acidic
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, ON, YT, NT
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: big huckleberry, black huckleberry, tall bilberry, thinleaf huckleberry
Other Names: buffalo currant, clove currant, fragrant golden currant, golden flowering currant, spicebush