This month, we begin a series on native plants with this introduction to the evergreen huckleberry.
This native bush grows on the edges of and in openings in low elevation coniferous forests. The dark, shiny evergreen leaves are alternate, leathery,sharp toothed, pale underneath, and grow horizontally to the stem, and are evergreen. You will find this plant throughout the Chinook land. The small, pink, bell-shaped blossoms grow in clusters of three to ten in the axils of the leaves. The small, deep purple/black berries begin to ripen in September and are edible and delicious. They remain on the bushes until December and become sweeter after the first frost. They are treasured as edible winter berries.