Black Gold Huckleberry {Vaccinium membranaceum} Edible Superfruit! | cold hardy | drought tolerant |30+ seeds Free Shipping US Seller! Black Huckleberry is an iconic Northwest berry with delicious and healthy fruit. In our humble opinion (and the bears), this may be the best wild berry in the West! EDIBLE USESBlack Huckleberry produces a sweet purple-black berry, highly prized for both fresh eating and cooking/preserving. Summer in the Northwest isn’t complete without a huckleberry milkshake or cobbler. And the joy continues into Fall/Winter with huckleberry jams, frozen berries, fruit leathers, and dried huckleberry “raisins”. What’s more, the berries are a native food high in vitamins A, B, and C. They are also rich in antioxidants and can improve blood circulation! ORNAMENTAL QUALITIESThe Black Huckleberry has elegant, thin, oval leaves that metamorphize from a translucent green into spectacular reds and purples as fall comes down. They have modest, urn-shaped, creamy pink flowers that bloom in the late spring. Their bark is yellow-green when young, maturing into a shredded grayish coloration with age. Phenology: Bloom time: Late spring to June. Fruit ripens: Mid-summer to late August.This species is prized for its delicious berries. Its leaves turn a spectacular red to purple in the fall. Mountain Huckleberry does best when it has little competition from other plants and is ideal for a rock garden or on a slope with plenty of organic matter. Plant it together with its natural companion, Beargrass, to reproduce the look of a subalpine hillside. Soil moisture will affect the quality and quantity of berry production, although it still will fruit even after 4-6 months with no rain. Propagation: In nature, Black Huckleberry propagates mostly vegetatively by slow expansion via adventitious buds on its rhizomes. Although seed reproduction is reportedly rare in nature, seeds can be propagated with about a 42% germination rate. It is best to plant seeds as soon as they are ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed may require a 3 month stratification period. Cuttings are difficult but possible from half-ripe wood taken in August, with a heel. More success is likely with division of the rhizomes. Use by People: The flavorful, juicy berries were collected by natives, eaten fresh or cooked, mashed and dried into cakes. Today, many families make special trips to the mountains to pick huckleberries. They go back to the same patch every year, unofficially claiming it as their own– hesitant to share the location with others. This is the species of huckleberry most commonly used in huckleberry Jams, syrups and other products marketed to tourists. Use by Wildlife: Huckleberry flowers are pollinated by bees. Black Huckleberry is the dominant species of huckleberry consumed by Grizzly Bears and Black Bears; they eat the berries, leaves, stems and roots. Elk, moose and deer will also browse on the foliage. Small mammals, grouse and other birds also eat the berries as well as use the shrub as cover. Wild vacciniums are notoriously challenging to grow, but many of us can’t help but try anyway! They are slow-growing and need careful attention during establishment. They thrive in acidic, well drained soils, and taste and produce best in 60-70% sunshine. The roots of the huckleberry are sensitive to compaction. Plant them away from pathways, and keep soil mulched. Summer watering will produce bigger berries. Harvest the berries in late summer-fall when they have fully ripened. They will be fully purple-black and firm, but with a little give. Due to lower yields than cultivated berries, expect to need 3 to 4 times the bushes for the same harvest. If you have a large bird population, plants can be covered with netting to keep the birds from eating all the berries. The berries are superior to cultivated blueberries in taste, although they are slightly smaller and less productive. Use them in any way you might use a blueberry – fresh, frozen, dried, in jams, cobblers, crisps, leathers, and more. USDA zones: 5-9Ease of Care: DifficultDeer Resistance: LowLight Requirements: Full Sun to Part-ShadeSoil Type: Light-Medium, needs acidic, well drained soilsWater Requirements: Dry-Moist, very drought hardy after establishment.Pollination: Self-FertileBearing Age: 2-4 years from establishmentSize at Maturity: 3-6 FeetPlant Spacing: 3-5 FeetBloom Time: April-MayHarvest Time: July-AugustGermination:60%Germination Test: 01/16/22 Purity:95%Height:4-5 feetMinimum Hardiness Zone: 4 Scarification: soak in warm water, let stand in water for 24 hours.Stratification: 3 month cold stratification separate seeds for best successGermination: surface sow and keep moist, cover seedbed with some shade.