Huckleberry is a name used inNorth America for severalplants in the familyEricaceae, in two closely related genera:Vaccinium andGaylussacia.
The name 'huckleberry' is a North American variation of the English dialectal name variously called 'hurtleberry' or 'whortleberry' (/ˈhwɜːrtəlbɛri/) for thebilberry.[1] In North America, the name was applied to numerous plant variations, all bearing small berries with colors that may be red, blue, or black. It is the common name for variousGaylussacia species, and someVaccinium species, such asVaccinium parvifolium, thered huckleberry, and is also applied to otherVaccinium species which may also be calledblueberries depending upon local custom, as in New England and parts ofAppalachia.[2]
The plant has shallow, radiating roots topped by a bush growing from an underground stem. The berries are small and round, 5–10 millimetres (1⁄4–3⁄8 inch) in diameter, and look like large darklowbush blueberries.[citation needed]
Two huckleberry species,V. membranaceum andV. ovatum, were studied forphytochemical content, showing thatV. ovatum had greater totalpolyphenol andanthocyanin content than didV. membranaceum. Each species contained 15 anthocyanins (galactoside,glucoside, andarabinoside ofdelphinidin,cyanidin,petunidin,peonidin, andmalvidin), but in different proportions.[3]
Four species of huckleberries in the genusGaylussacia are common in eastern North America, especiallyG. baccata, also known as the black huckleberry.[2]
From coastalCentral California throughOregon to southernWashington andBritish Columbia, the red huckleberry (V. parvifolium) is found in the maritime-influenced plant community. In thePacific Northwest and mountains ofMontana andIdaho, this huckleberry species and several others, such as the blackVaccinium huckleberry (V. membranaceum) and blue (Cascade) huckleberry (V. deliciosum), grow in various habitats, such as mid-alpine regions up to 3,500 metres (11,500 feet) above sea level, mountain slopes,forests, or lakebasins. The plant grows best in damp, acidic soil havingvolcanic origin, attaining under optimal conditions heights of1.5 to 2 m (5 to6+1⁄2 ft), usually ripening in mid-to-late summer or later at high elevations.[2] Huckleberry was one of the few plant species to survive on the slopes ofMount St. Helens when thevolcanoerupted in 1980, and existed as a prominent mountain-slope bush in 2017.[4]
Where the climate is favorable, certain species of huckleberry, such asV. membranaceum,V. parvifolium andV. deliciosum, are used in ornamental plantings.[2] The 'garden huckleberry' (Solanum scabrum) is not a true huckleberry, but is instead a member of thenightshade family.[citation needed]
Huckleberry in the east is native toEastern Canada and theGreat Lakes region, the Midwestern andNortheastern United States, and theAppalachian Mountains, theOhio/Mississippi/Tennessee Valley, andSoutheastern United States.[5]
Huckleberry grows wild in northwestern United States and western Canada onsubalpine slopes, forests,bogs, and lake basins.[6]
Huckleberries were traditionally collected byNative American andFirst Nations people along thePacific coast, interior British Columbia,Idaho, andMontana for use as food ortraditional medicine.[2][7][8] In taste, they may be tart or sweet.[citation needed] Thefruit is versatile in foods or beverages, including jam,pudding,candy,pie,ice cream,muffins,pancakes,salad dressings,juice,tea,soup, andsyrup.[2][8]
Attempts to cultivate huckleberry plants from seeds have failed, with plants devoid of fruits. This may be due to the inability of the plants to fully root and replicate the native soil chemistry of wild plants.[6][9]
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Huckleberries hold a place in archaic American Englishslang. The phrase "a huckleberry over mypersimmon" was used to mean "a bit beyond my abilities". On the other hand, "I'm your huckleberry" is a way of expressing affection or that one is just the right person for a given role.[10] The range of slang meanings of huckleberry in the 19th century was broad, also referring to significant or nice persons.[11][12] The term can also be a slang expression for a rube or an amateur, or a mild expression of disapproval.[citation needed] Fictional characters includingHuckleberry "Huck" Finn, fromThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) andAdventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) byMark Twain, andHuckleberry "Huck" Hound, an animated anthropomorphicBluetick Coonhound created byHanna-Barbera in 1958, have incorporated "huckleberry" into their names to indicate their rustic or insignificant nature.[13]
The huckleberry is the state fruit of Idaho and Montana.[14][15]
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