Red Osier Dogwood vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Red Osier Dogwood vs Mountain Huckleberry

Cornus sericea

Vaccinium membranaceum

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Red Osier Dogwood
Mountain Huckleberry

Red Osier Dogwood is a small deciduous shrub that features deep red stems and twigs year-round, with creamy white flowers in the spring. This shrub will add a nice pop of color to your yard.

Red Osier Dogwood is an excellent soil stabilizer. It is fast growing and becomes drought tolerant once well established.

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.

Red Osier Dogwood Quick Facts

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 5a
Height: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: any
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: high


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

In row spacing: 0.9 m (3 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, ON, YT, NT
Other Names: american dogwood, california dogwood, creek dogwood, dogberry tree, red dogwood, red twig dogwood, redosier dogwood, redstem dogwood, western dogwood
Other Names: big huckleberry, black huckleberry, tall bilberry, thinleaf huckleberry