Huckleberry – Growing

Q: Do know where I can obtain some huckleberry bushes? We had them in our backyard growing up. I tried to transplant some last fall but they didn’t survive.

A: Theresa Schrum, at Eco Terra Landscape, says when it comes to the common name ‘huckleberry” there is a problem. That name is applied to a large number of shrubs, all of which bear edible fruit.

There is black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), box huckleberry (Gaylussacia brachycera), red huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium) and California huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum).

Those in the genus Gaylussacia are considered the “true” huckleberries. Those in the genus Vaccinium are more closely related to blueberries.

In my experience, huckleberries grow only in the higher reaches of the north Georgia mountains. You’ll be more successful with blueberries in the Atlanta area.

Huckleberry List:

Gaylussacia baccata: Black huckleberry
Gaylussacia brachycera: Box huckleberry
Gaylussacia dumosa: Dwarf huckleberry
Gaylussacia frondosa: Blue huckleberry
Gaylussacia mosieri: Woolly huckleberry
Gaylussacia nana: Confederate huckleberry
Gaylussacia tomentosa: Hairytwig huckleberry
Gaylussacia ursina: Bear huckleberry

Solanum melanocerasum: Garden huckleberry

Vaccinium membranaceum: Thinleaf huckleberry
Vaccinium myrtilloides: Velvetleaf huckleberry
Vaccinium ovatum: California huckleberry
Vaccinium parvifolium: Red huckleberry