Gaylussacia dumosa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- gay-luh-SAY-shee-uh doo-MO-suh
- Description
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Dwarf Huckleberry is a deciduous shrub in the heath family that is native to eastern North America from Canada to Florida. This shrub grows erect, 1-2 feet tall and branches from the base. It is found in both the coastal plains and mountains growing in pine forests in both dry and moist conditions. It spreads by rhizomes and seeds and can form small colonies. It is slow growing and may be difficult to get established.
The genus Gaylussacia is named for French chemist Louis Joseph Gray-Lussac. The species epithet dumosa is from the Latin dumosus, meaning shrubby or bushy.
This shrub prefers full sun to partial shade in sandy to clayish soils that are well-drained and dry to occasionally moist. It doesn't tolerate salt or brackish water.
Small, white to pale pink bell to urn-shaped flowers mature in the spring followed by purplish drupes in late summer to fall. The fruit is edible but not as sweet as blueberries. The resin-dotted undersides of the leaves help distinguish it from the Vaccinium genius such as blueberries and blackberries.
Use this shrub as a ground cover for sandy areas, a low barrier or hedge, along pond margins, in naturalized areas and native plantings. It is a high-value wildlife plant that the bees, butterflies and small mammals will thank you for.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Gaylussacia
- Species:
- dumosa
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern North America
- Distribution:
- USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , LA , MA , MD , ME , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , WV Canada: NB , NL , NS , PE
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant provides nectar for pollinators. It is a host plant for Henry's Elfin (Callophrys henrici) larvae which appear from February to May and have one flight. Butterflies and bees are attracted to its blooms. Its fruits are eaten by birds and mammals such as raccoon, gray fox, red fox, skunk, chipmunk, squirrel, grouse, wild turkey, and quail.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Edibility:
- Fruit - raw or cooked and used as a pie filling etc.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- 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:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a berry with 10 nutlets, each carrying one seed. It is shiny blue-black in color when mature and green when young. Displays from June to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Urn
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The cream-colored, 5 petaled flowers bloom from March to June and are borne on racemes at the end of branchlets. Similar to blueberry blooms.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leathery leaves are 1 inch long and widest towards the tip with a fuzzy margin. The lower surface is glandular with yellow resin dots.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- Its bark is gray-brown and finely peeling.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The twigs are usually copiously pubescent with short, curly hairs.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Hedge
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
