Black Huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata
- 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. 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.
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.
Use this plant in a naturalized area, woodland setting, on slopes or dunes and to attract wildlife.
- 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
