Gaylussacia baccata
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- gay-luh-SAY-shee-uh BAK-ah-tuh
- Description
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Black Huckleberry is a native shrub in the blueberry family found in acidic forests and woodland areas above 1600 m in elevation from Canada south to Georgia. It is found in the coastal, Piedmont and mountains of NC.
This shrub grows to 3 feet tall, 4-5 feet wide and often forms thickets. It prefers sandy or rocky soils in sun to partial shade and is drought-tolerant once established. The shallow spreading root system helps prevent erosion on slopes and rocky hillsides.
In spring the red to pink urn-shaped flowers are visited by several pollinators. These are followed by a fleshy berry that matures to blue-black and is a wildlife favorite. Fall color is good in oranges and reds.
Use this plant in a naturalized area, woodland setting, on slopes or dunes and to attract wildlife.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and scale. Potential diseases are powdery mildew, leaf spots, and mummy berry.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Gaylussacia
- Species:
- baccata
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada and U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Berries are eaten by birds and mammals. Host plant to the butterfly Henry's Elfin. Bees pollinate the flowers.
- Edibility:
- Berries are edible raw or cooked.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Multi-stemmed
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/3 inch blueish black fruit displays from July to August.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Urn
- Flower Petals:
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Clusters of 1/3 inch urn-shaped red to pink flowers in the axils of leaves bloom from April to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are 1-2¼" long and ½-1" across, oblong-ovate, obovate, or narrowly oval and smooth along their margins. Color is yellowish-green and slightly shiny, the underside is dull yellowish-green with fine resinous yellow dots and hairs. Fall color is oranges and reds.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- Thin smooth gray bark
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Black
- Gold/Yellow
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Young stems are yellowish-green to reddish-brown, pubescent or hairless. Older stems are light gray to nearly black. Tend to be brittle.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Rock Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
