Top Hat Blueberry vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Top Hat Blueberry vs Mountain Huckleberry

Vaccinium x Top Hat

Vaccinium membranaceum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Top Hat Blueberry
Mountain Huckleberry

Top Hat Blueberry is ideal for decks, patios, and small yards. This compact blueberry produces loads of good tasting berries early in the summer. This variety's berries are well suited for baking.

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

We recommend planting Top Hat Blueberry into the ground or into planters that have at least 5 gallons of soil per plant for the best results. Do not plant them into pots (voids your guarantee).

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 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.

Top Hat Blueberry Quick Facts

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
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)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: high


Fall colour: orange-red
Berries: large clusters of blue berries
Berries: dark purple
Fruit size: medium
Firmness: firm
Flavor: good
Flavor: sweet, acidic
Harvest: early to mid summer
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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