Tag Archives: Vaccinium ovatum

Evergreen Huckleberry: Evergreen Plant Seed Propagation

Introduction

The evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) is a shrub found on dry slopes and in canyons along the Pacific coast (from British Columbia to central California, and sometimes in the higher mountains of  Southern California). This plant is an evergreen, as the name suggests, that can grow to approximately 8 ft. tall. The evergreen huckleberry prefers well-drained soil. light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. This plant also prefers acidic soils and can tolerate extremely acidic soils. It can grow without shade or with some mild shading and in somewhat moist to dry soils.

The foliage of this plant is absolutely gorgeous and vibrant in color with its reddish bark and eventually dark green evergreen leaves. These qualities make this plant a lovely hedge for landscaping or even as filler and background for floral arrangements by florists. It’s desirable beauty means that large amounts of its foliage are shipped around the U.S. yearly.

Figure 1: (http://www.rainyside.com/plant_gallery/natives/Vaccinium_ovatum.html)

It flowers from March to July/August, and the fruits ripen from July to October. The insect-pollinated flowers are perfect (bisexual).

Figure 2: (http://www.rainyside.com/plant_gallery/natives/Vaccinium_ovatum.html)

The berries of the evergreen huckleberry are produced in clusters on the plant and are produced in great quantity (as opposed to single-fruited huckleberries). They are eaten by a wide range of birds and mammals, which is this plant’s method for dispersing it’s seeds. It is important to note, though, that humans are also huge consumers of the evergreen huckleberry’s fruit. The berries are sweet (with ever so slight notes of musky dryness ), rich in vitamin C, and low in fats. They can be eaten raw, cooked, or even dried. These fruits are used in a variety of popular cooking methods (pies, wine, pancakes, pastries, preserves, muffins, tea, etc.) (as depicted by the peach-huckleberry pie in Figure 3). However, this variety of huckleberry is not as popular as a fresh fruit.

Figure 3: A delicious peach-huckleberry lattice pie. (http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/peach-huckleberry-lattice-pie-3942)

These berries were traditionally used by many natives of the West Coast, like the Capella Indians who traveled tens of miles to harvest these fruits. The berries were eaten fresh,  made into cakes, or preserved (which allowed for a source of vitamin C in the winter).

The evergreen huckleberry can be propagated through many means (i.e. cuttings and micropropagation), but for this instructional post we will be focusing on seed propagation (which is considered less popular due to its somewhat lengthier time-requiring nature). Most Vaccinium species, including Vaccinium ovatum, do not have seed pre-germination requirements (due to the fact that they are not dormant) aside from requiring light for germination. However, it has been shown that a higher percentage of the seeds will germinate with stratification (or treating seeds with winter-like conditions that help cause germination to take place once taken out of these conditions after a period of time).

How-To

Supplies Needed: 

  • evergreen huckleberry fruits/seeds (either purchased or collected yourself)
  • lime-free potting mix (peat moss and perlite)
  • sand
  • container (approximately 2 in. by 2 in. cell)
  • a mashing utensil
  • cheesecloth
  • bucket
  • plastic wrap (optional)
  • refrigerator (optional)

Collection:

The seed should be sowed as soon as the berry is ripe in the autumn (typically when it is dark blue in color with a “whitish cast”) .

Figure 4: (http://wildandfreemontana.blogspot.com/2010/09/huckleberry-culture.html)

Separation:

Mash the berries, gently, in the bucket and pour in water (just enough to cover all the berries). Leave this mixture to soak for 48 hours, stirring periodically to try to separate the seeds from the flesh. After the 48 hours has passed, remove the floating seeds and fruit flesh from the surface of the water. Drain the remaining water out of the bucket, keeping the seeds from the bottom of the bucket; this can be done using a cheesecloth to collect and ring out the seeds.

Planting: 

THis will preferably be done in a greenhouse. Fill your cells 3/4 of the way with the moistened potting mixture. Then, scatter the seeds on top of the potting mix and cover them with a thin (1/8th in.) layer of fine sand. If the seeds were stored, the seeds may need up to 3 month of  cold stratification.

Stratification:

If you would like to stratify your seeds, place your tray in a refrigerator for one month, misting frequently (always keeping the soil moist but not sopping wet). This mimics the natural wintertime. After that month, cover your tray with a sheet of plastic wrap and place your tray in a lightly shaded area with morning and late afternoon sun, watering/misting as you did during the stratification period.

Germination:

Whether you used the stratification period or not, the plants will begin to emerge after about a month.

Further Care: 

Once the seedlings grow to approximately 5 cm. tall, divide the seedlings into individual pots and grow them in a lightly shaded area in your greenhouse (for the first winter, at the very least). In late spring or early summer (after the last frost) plant your growing evergreen huckleberry in their permanent, preferably lightly shaded, outdoor positions.

Conclusion

Figure 5: (http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2011/11/huckleberry-egg-custard.html)

Works Cited

Cooksey, Mike. “Vaccinium Ovatum Evergreen Huckleberry.” Universiyt of Washington, 22 May 2003. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://depts.washington.edu/propplnt/Plants/V_ovatu.htm>.

Hartmann, Hudson T., Dale E. Kester, Fred T. Davies, Jr., and Robert L. Geneve. Hartmann & Kester’s Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall/Pearson, 2011. Print.

Leon, Anastasia. “How to Propagate an Evergreen Huckleberry.” Home Guides. Demand Media, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://homeguides.sfgate.com/propagate-evergreen-huckleberry-44032.html>.

Stephen Foster and Christopher Hobbs. 2002. Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs (pg. 287). Houghton Miller Company, New York, NY.

Tirmenstein, D. 1990. “Vaccinium ovatum.” U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,  Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer)., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.   <http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/vacova/all.html>.

“Vaccinium Ovatum.” Rainy Side Gardeners. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.rainyside.com/plant_gallery/natives/Vaccinium_ovatum.html>.

“Vaccinium Ovatum – Pursh.” Plants for a Future, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Vaccinium+ovatum>.