Pygmy Caragana vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Pygmy Caragana vs Mountain Huckleberry

Caragana pygmaea

Vaccinium membranaceum

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Pygmy Caragana
Mountain Huckleberry

Pygmy Caragana is a shrub that is related to Common Caragana and has a compact size that is suitable for yards with limited space. Its size is perfect for landscaping and decorative hedges, and requires little maintenance. This nitrogen fixer has fine-textured foliage and small yellow flowers. Much like Common Caragana, it is hardy and drought tolerant.

Popular as a low maintenance commercial landscaping shrub and for hedging. This species does have tiny spines that might poke you a bit. It has a nice appealing texture when mature.

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.

Pygmy Caragana Quick Facts

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 5a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: high


Flowers: prolific tiny yellow pea-like flowers
Berries: dark purple
Flavor: sweet, acidic
Harvest: mid to late summer
Seeds: prolific seedpods are edible
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, ON, YT, NT
Other Names: pygmy peashrub
Other Names: big huckleberry, black huckleberry, tall bilberry, thinleaf huckleberry