Royal Purple Smokebush vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Royal Purple Smokebush vs Mountain Huckleberry

Cotinus coggygria Royal Purple

Vaccinium membranaceum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Royal Purple Smokebush
Mountain Huckleberry

Royal Purple Smokebush is an attractive and dramatic shrub. Mid-summer you'll notice feathery, purple-pink puffs of airy seed clusters that give the illusion of smoke. The contrast of these seed clusters against deep purple-red foliage will make Royal Purple Smokebush your new favorite shrub.

It is tolerant of clay soil, drought, and deer, making Royal Purple Smokebush a hardy addition to any yard. Try it in a hedge, shrub border, or as an accent shrub; regardless of how you use it, this shrub will be a head turner.

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.

Royal Purple Smokebush Quick Facts

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 5a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 5 m (15 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: low
Suckering: high


Fall colour: Purple and scarlet red
Berries: dark purple
Flavor: sweet, acidic
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