Wild Strawberry vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Wild Strawberry vs Mountain Huckleberry

Fragaria virginiana

Vaccinium membranaceum

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Wild Strawberry
Mountain Huckleberry

Often called the Woodland Strawberry, the Wild Strawberry produces a sweet, edible red berry all throughout the later spring and summer. This compact, stemless plant spreads mostly through the means of runners, and grows quickly.

Flowers and fruit of the Wild Strawberry are usually present simultaneously throughout the summer. This variety is native to North America, which gives it its name.

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.

Wild Strawberry Quick Facts

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 5a
Height: 0.1 m (0.3 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: any
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: high
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: red to purple
Flowers: white
Fruit: small
Berries: sweet
Berries: dark purple
Flavor: sweet, acidic
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: common strawberry, mountain strawberry, virginia strawberry
Other Names: big huckleberry, black huckleberry, tall bilberry, thinleaf huckleberry