Redwing Highbush Cranberry vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Redwing Highbush Cranberry vs Mountain Huckleberry

Vaccinium membranaceum

Viburnum trilobum JN Select

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NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Mountain Huckleberry
Redwing Highbush Cranberry

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.

The Redwing Highbush Cranberry is a dense multi-stemmed shrub that blooms with white pinwheel shaped flowers in spring. It produces small, red, and edible berries in late summer. Its leaves are green, but the tips become more saturated with red throughout the season, and then turn a stunning crimson colour in the fall.

The Redwing Highbush Cranberry makes a good addition to any urban garden or hedge, and its berries are commonly used to liven up preserves with their tart flavor.

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Redwing Highbush Cranberry Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: red/orange
Berries: dark purple
Berries: small, red
Flavor: sweet, acidic
Flavor: sour
Harvest: mid to late summer
Harvest: late August-February
Flowers: white, pinwheel shaped
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: low




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