Gaylussacia frondosa
- Common Name(s):
- Blue huckleberry, Dangleberry
- Categories:
- Edible Plants, Native Plants, Perennials, Shrubs
- Comment:
Blue huckleberry is a native, blueberry-like shrub in the Ericaceae family. It has distinctive resin dots that only occur on the lower surface of the leaves, and a large, open, lax inflorescence that gives it another common name, dangleberry. This is a huckleberry of the Atlantic coastal plain. It proliferates rapidly from rhizomes when disturbed. It is deciduous to semi-evergreen found on forest edges, meadows, wetland margins, and fields. Its growth rate is slow. The bark is gray-brown and finely peeling.
Regions: Piedmont, Coastal Plains
Seasons of Interest:
Blooms: Early spring/spring Nut/Fruit/Seed: Late summer
Wildlife Value: This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer. It is a host plant for Henry Elfin's butterfly. Butterflies are attracted to its blooms. Its thickets provide cover for wildlife, while birds including grouse, bobwhite, scarlet tanagers and wild turkeys eat the berries.
- Season:
- Spring, summer, fall
- Height:
- 6 ft.
- Flower Color:
- White to pink
- Foliage:
- The leaves of the Blue Huckleberry are alternate, simple and smooth. They have a fuzzy margin and yellow resin dots on the underside. Its twigs are brown, green or red. There are three or more scales on the winter buds, and they overlap like shingles, with one edge covered and the other edge exposed.
- Flower:
- In the spring, small white to pink bell or cup shaped flowers mature on the Blue huckleberry. They are followed by a blue to black edible berry.
- Habit:
- Deciduous to semi-evergreen
- Site:
- The Blue huckleberry grows best in moist soil in full sun to part shade.
- Texture:
- Medium
- Form:
- Semi-erect
- Propagation:
- Rhizomes
- Exposure:
- Full sun, part shade
- Fruit:
- Berry, black
- Soil:
- Moist
- Regions:
- Piedmont, Coastal Plain
- Origin:
- Eastern United States from NH to SC
- Edibility:
- Fruits are highly edible and enjoyed by humans and wildlife alike.
NCCES plant id: 3192