Vaccinium ovatum | |
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Berry | |
Flower | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Ericaceae |
Genus: | Vaccinium |
Species: | V. ovatum
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Binomial name | |
Vaccinium ovatum
Pursh 1813
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Vaccinium ovatum is a North American species of flowering shrub known by the common names evergreen huckleberry, winter huckleberry, cynamoka berry and California huckleberry. [1] [2] Vaccinium ovatum is classified in phylum: Magnoliaphyta, order: Ericales, family: Ericaceae, genus: Vaccinium, and species: ovatum. [3]
It is found on the western side of the Cascade Range in North America. [2] It is a tall woody shrub that produces fleshy, edible berries in the summer. [2] The plant is used for food, natural landscaping, and floral arrangements. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Vaccinium ovatum is an erect shrub that grows from 0.5 to 3 meters tall and is considered a slow growing plant. [3] The shrub has woody stems with bright red bark. [1] The leaves are waxy, alternately arranged with margins of about 2–5 cm, and are egg-shaped. [2] Leaf size is about 2 to 3 centimeters (0.8–1.2 inches) long and about a centimeter wide (0.4 inches) with finely serrated edges. [2] The leaves are a variety of colors from dark green to bright red. [3] This is caused by different intensities of sun exposure. [3] Sun exposure produces redder leaves. [3]
Vaccinium ovatum produces flowers in the early spring through early summer with white and light pink flowers. [2] These flowers are urceolate, meaning they hang down below the stem they are growing from. [2] The flowers are also bisexual, meaning they possess both organs that produce microgametes, and megagametes. [1] These flowers have five flower parts, and through the lifecycle eventually form a five-chamber fleshy berry. [2] [3] The multiples of five classify Vaccinium ovatum as a dicot. [6]
Berries are produced and ripen through the summer and into fall. [2] The berries remain on the shrub for up to a month before falling to the ground. [2] The berries are a dark purple to black color and are a little under a centimeter (0.4 inches) in diameter when ripe. [2] They are edible, [2] but have tartness likely due to their high content of phenolic acids, producing a pH of about 2.6. [7]
Vaccinium ovatum is typically diploid, [2] although research has found rare naturally occurring tetraploids as well as lab-produced tetraploids. [2] Tetraploidy also provides the individual with better disease prevention due to the increased genetic diversity. [2]
The primary habitat for Vaccinium ovatum consists of moist, yet well drained and acidic soil. [1] [2] [3] As many plants, Vaccinium ovatum thrives in the sun but is also very tolerant of shade. [3] These preferred conditions can all be found west of the Cascade Mountain range where this species is often found thriving. [2] Though Vaccinium ovatum can be found in the higher elevations of Southern California, they are primarily found in the coastal forests of Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, [1] where it can grow in the salt spray. [3]
Vaccinium ovatum is an understory bush, often dominant in its habitat. [3] Other species commonly found growing near V. parvifolium ( Red Huckleberries), and Symphoricarpos albus ( common snowberry). [2] Vaccinuim ovatum appear to thrive better in old growth forests. [3] This is most likely because they are a slow growing plant and require more time to reach maturity. [3]
Vaccinium ovatum interacts with many other species for reasons spanning from resource competition to seed dispersal. [3] [6] V. ovatum also provides food for animals, facilitating seed dispersal. [3] [6] In addition to seed dispersal, V. ovatum relies on other species to disperse their pollen ( pollination). [2] Their flowers are insect pollinated. [2] Vaccinium ovatum is a common food source for migrating birds. [5]
American botanist J.M. Bigelow wrote about the plant in 1853. [4] From the 1930s to 1950s, some 500-1000 tons were shipped to Europe for domestic sale per year. [3] Because the beautiful stems and leaves were so popular in floral arrangements in the early 20th century, Vaccinium ovatum became scarce. [4] In an effort to keep them from becoming legally endangered, Frank Moll, transplanted healthy specimens to his property where he started a nursery. [4] Moll died in 1960, but his nursery continued to thrive even without his care. [4]
In 2003, Vaccinium ovatum populations became infected with a fungal disease caused by Pucciniastrum goeppertianum ( witches' broom). [4] The disease caused stem proliferation and decreased berry production, but did not kill the plants. [4]
Native Americans have historically used the berries for food and traditional medicine purposes. [1] [3]
Berries are consumed raw, cooked, or dried. [4] They are also incorporated into many common food items, such as pies, pancakes, muffins, other pastries, as well as jams, jellies, wine, and tea. [4]
Vaccinium ovatum is grown as an ornamental plant for horticultural use by specialty wholesale, retail, and garden nurseries. [3] [4] The plant is successful in natural landscape and native plant palette style, and habitat gardens and public sustainable landscape and restoration projects that are similar to its habitat conditions. [3] They are not grown commercially. [1] [2]