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| ## grouse huckleberry {#grouse-huckleberry .Title-Header}             |
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| *Vaccinium scoparium* Leib. Ex Coville                                |
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| Plant Symbol = VASC                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="1.875in" height="2.498611111111111in"}

Clinton Shock

Oregon State Univ., Malheur Experiment Station

##### Alternate Names {#alternate-names .Header-3}

Littleleaf huckleberry, whortleberry, grouse whortleberry, red
huckleberry

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

*Ethnobotany*. The small berries are eaten by the Mlaka'-pamus in
British Columbia, and the Okanagan-Colville and Kootenay people in the
Pacific Northwest. The berries are picked with a comb and usually eaten
fresh. However, berries are gathered less commonly in modern times due
to their size and the limited number produced. Like the wild
strawberries, the tiny red fruits are sweet and delicious and well worth
the effort. They are also used by backpackers.

Grouse huckleberry is sometimes used horticulturally, due to its bright
green stems, pretty pink flowers and red fruits, and tolerance to a wide
range of light levels.

*Wildlife*. For several species of grouse, these are among the most
important summer and early fall foods. They are also important to
songbirds, chipmunks, mice, and other mammals. Grouse huckleberry is not
a favorable browse due to its small size. However, small mammals, such
as rabbits, browse freely on the plants.

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

#####  {#section .Header-3}

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

*General*: Heath Family (Ericaceae). Littleleaf huckleberry is a small,
broom-like, U.S. native, deciduous shrub \<5 dm tall. The twigs are
strongly angled and green. The leaves are 8-15 mm, ovate, and serrate.
The flowers are solitary, urn-shaped, pink blossoms in the axils of the
lowest leaves and youngest shoots. The bright red berry is tiny, 3-6 mm
in diameter.

*Distribution*: For current distribution, please consult the Plant
Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site. Grouse huckleberry
ranges from Alaska south to California, northern New Mexico, the Rocky
Mountains, and Alberta. It can be found from 760-2300 m in the Pacific
Northwest, from 1800-2300 m in California, and from 2600-3800 m in
Colorado. This plant is rare in California.

*Habitat*: Grouse huckleberry grows in rocky subalpine to alpine woods
to open slopes. It grows in acidic soils in both moist and dry sites,
but is most common in sandy or gravelly loams and is always found in the
understory of lodgepole pine (*Pinus contorta*) stands.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Grouse huckleberry can be propagated by rhizome cuttings. Seed
collections: The berries ripen from late July through September. After
collection, place the berries in a plastic bag and keep them at 5
degrees C from a few days to a few weeks. Clean seed by macerating and
floating the pulp and unsound seed off the top. Seed should be dried
before storing. One study reported best germination with a cold
stratification with warm night temperatures of 10 degrees C. Seed
reportedly does not need pretreatment to germinate.

Seeds are very slow to sprout and seedlings are small and grow very
slowly. Fresh or stored seeds can be sown directly into flats or small
pots (a salt shaker can be used for sowing). Plant in a mixture of sand
and peat moss. Seedlings will begin to emerge in a month and will
continue to emerge for a long period thereafter. Transplant seedlings
into larger pots 6 to 7 weeks after emergence. Plant outside after the
first growing season. Water plants, as needed.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

This plant grows very rapidly in moist, shady conditions. If summer
drought occurs, the plants should be watered so roots are kept fairly
moist. Traditional Resource Management of this plant includes the
following: 1) occasional burning to stimulate new growth; 2) pruning the
branches after picking the berries to stimulate new growth and fruit
production the next growing season; and 3) ownership of huckleberry
shrubs provides the basis for careful tending and sustainable yield of
valed resources.

#####  {#section-1 .Header-3}

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

##### References {#references .Header-3}

##### Cooke, S.S. 1997. *A field guide to the common wetland plants of western Washington and northwestern Oregon*. Seattle Audubon Society and Washington Native Plant Society. 414p. {#cooke-s.s.-1997.-a-field-guide-to-the-common-wetland-plants-of-western-washington-and-northwestern-oregon.-seattle-audubon-society-and-washington-native-plant-society.-414p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-2 .Header-3}

##### Dirr, M.A. & C.W. Heuser. 1987. The reference manual of woody propagation: From seed to tissue culture. Varsity Press, Athens, Georgia. 239p. {#dirr-m.a.-c.w.-heuser.-1987.-the-reference-manual-of-woody-propagation-from-seed-to-tissue-culture.-varsity-press-athens-georgia.-239p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-3 .Header-3}

##### Crossley, J.A. 1974. *Vaccinium L. blueberry*. Pp. 840-843. In: Shopmeyer, C.S (tech. coord.), Seeds of the Woody Plants in the United States. USDA Forest Service, Agric. Handbook 450, Washington, D.C. 883p. {#crossley-j.a.-1974.-vaccinium-l.-blueberry.-pp.-840-843.-in-shopmeyer-c.s-tech.-coord.-seeds-of-the-woody-plants-in-the-united-states.-usda-forest-service-agric.-handbook-450-washington-d.c.-883p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-4 .Header-3}

##### Gunther, E. 1973*. Ethnobotany of Western Washington*. University of Washington Publ. in Anthropology 10(1). University of Washington Press, Seattle. {#gunther-e.-1973.-ethnobotany-of-western-washington.-university-of-washington-publ.-in-anthropology-101.-university-of-washington-press-seattle. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-5 .Header-3}

##### Harbinger, L.J. 1964. *The importance of food plants in the maintenance of Nez Perce cultural identity*. Thesis, M.A. in Anthropology. Washington State University, Seattle. {#harbinger-l.j.-1964.-the-importance-of-food-plants-in-the-maintenance-of-nez-perce-cultural-identity.-thesis-m.a.-in-anthropology.-washington-state-university-seattle. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-6 .Header-3}

##### Harrington, H.D. 1972. *Western edible wild plants*. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 156p. {#harrington-h.d.-1972.-western-edible-wild-plants.-university-of-new-mexico-press-albuquerque.-156p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-7 .Header-3}

##### Hickman, J.C. 1993. *The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California*. University of California Press, Berkeley. 1399p. {#hickman-j.c.-1993.-the-jepson-manual-higher-plants-of-california.-university-of-california-press-berkeley.-1399p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-8 .Header-3}

##### Kunlein, H.V. & N.J. Turner. 1991. *Traditional plant foods of Canadian indigenous peoples. Nutrition, botany and use*. Food and Nutrition in History and Anthropology, Volume 8. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers. 632p. {#kunlein-h.v.-n.j.-turner.-1991.-traditional-plant-foods-of-canadian-indigenous-peoples.-nutrition-botany-and-use.-food-and-nutrition-in-history-and-anthropology-volume-8.-gordon-and-breach-science-publishers.-632p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-9 .Header-3}

##### Leigh, M. (August) 1997. *Grow your own native landscape: A guide to identifying, propagating, and landscaping with western Washington native plants*. Environmental Protection Agency, The Washington State Department of Ecology, and Washington State University Cooperative Extension. {#leigh-m.-august-1997.-grow-your-own-native-landscape-a-guide-to-identifying-propagating-and-landscaping-with-western-washington-native-plants.-environmental-protection-agency-the-washington-state-department-of-ecology-and-washington-state-university-cooperative-extension. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-10 .Header-3}

##### Martin, A.C., H.S. Zim, and A.L. Nelson. 1951. *American wildlife and plants: A guide to wildlife food habits*. Dover Publication, Inc., New York. 500p. {#martin-a.c.-h.s.-zim-and-a.l.-nelson.-1951.-american-wildlife-and-plants-a-guide-to-wildlife-food-habits.-dover-publication-inc.-new-york.-500p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-11 .Header-3}

##### Moore, M. 1979. *Medicinal plants of the mountain west*. Museum of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 200p. {#moore-m.-1979.-medicinal-plants-of-the-mountain-west.-museum-of-new-mexico-press-albuquerque.-200p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-12 .Header-3}

##### Peck, M.E. 1961*. A manual of the higher plants of Oregon*. Binfords & Mort., Portland, Oregon. 936p. {#peck-m.e.-1961.-a-manual-of-the-higher-plants-of-oregon.-binfords-mort.-portland-oregon.-936p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-13 .Header-3}

##### Romme, W.H. L. Bohland, C. Persichetty, & T. Caruso. 1995*. Germination ecology of some common forest herbs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.A*. Arctic and Alpine Research 27(4):407-412. {#romme-w.h.-l.-bohland-c.-persichetty-t.-caruso.-1995.-germination-ecology-of-some-common-forest-herbs-in-yellowstone-national-park-wyoming-u.s.a.-arctic-and-alpine-research-274407-412. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-14 .Header-3}

##### Rose, R., C.E.C. Chachulski, & D Haase. 1998. *Propagation of Pacific Northwest native plants*. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis. {#rose-r.-c.e.c.-chachulski-d-haase.-1998.-propagation-of-pacific-northwest-native-plants.-oregon-state-university-press-corvallis. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-15 .Header-3}

##### Tirmenstein, D.A. 1990. *Vaccinium scoparium*. In Fischer, W.C. (comp.) The Fire Effects Information System. Accessed 970312. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Fire Sciences Laboratory. http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/Shrub/VACPAR. {#tirmenstein-d.a.-1990.-vaccinium-scoparium.-in-fischer-w.c.-comp.-the-fire-effects-information-system.-accessed-970312.-usda-forest-service-intermountain-fire-sciences-laboratory.-httpwww.fs.fed.usdatabasefeisplantsshrubvacpar. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-16 .Header-3}

##### USDA Forest Service. 1988. *Range plant handbook*. Dover Publications, Inc., New York. 816p. {#usda-forest-service.-1988.-range-plant-handbook.-dover-publications-inc.-new-york.-816p. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-17 .Header-3}

##### USDA NRCS. 2007. *The PLANTS web site*. Accessed 070122. http://plants.usda.gov. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. {#usda-nrcs.-2007.-the-plants-web-site.-accessed-070122.-httpplants.usda.gov.-national-plant-data-center-baton-rouge-louisiana. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-18 .Header-3}

##### Young, J.A. & C.G. Young. 1974. *Collecting, processing, and germinating seeds of wildland plants*. Timber Press, Portland. {#young-j.a.-c.g.-young.-1974.-collecting-processing-and-germinating-seeds-of-wildland-plants.-timber-press-portland. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-19 .Header-3}

##### Prepared By {#prepared-by .Header-3}

Michelle Stevens, formerly USDA NRCS NPDC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

And

Dale C. Darris, USDA NRCS Oregon PMC, Corvallis, Oregon

##### Species Coordinator {#species-coordinator .Header-3}

M. Kat Anderson, USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Davis, California

##### Edited: 070122 jsp {#edited-070122-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
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