Northblue Blueberry vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Northblue Blueberry vs Mountain Huckleberry

Vaccinium membranaceum

Vaccinium x Northblue

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Mountain Huckleberry
Northblue Blueberry

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.

Northblue Blueberry produces the best tasting of the half-high blueberries we carry. It's a cross between a highbush and a lowbush variety, which makes it suitable for smaller yards. For its size, Northblue Blueberry produces abundant quantities of large, firm berries. They are sweet and juicy.

While this variety is self-pollinating, we recommend pairing it with another suitable blueberry to increase the berry production of both varieties.

Note: Blueberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.0. If the starting pH of your soil is between 5.1 and 6.2 you can lower it by adding sulfur. We recommend against planting blueberries in soil with a starting pH greater than 6.2. Please do your own research before buying any blueberry plants.

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Northblue Blueberry Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: dark red
Berries: dark purple
Berries: large clusters of blue berries
Fruit size: large
Firmness: firmer
Flavor: sweet, acidic
Flavor: sweet/juicy
Harvest: mid to late summer
Harvest: mid summer
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: none




Other Names: big huckleberry, black huckleberry, tall bilberry, thinleaf huckleberry