Evergreen Huckleberry - q’ʷq’ʷəlac - (Vaccinium ovatum)
Evergreen Huckleberry, a small evergreen shrub, has green leaves that are ovate to lance shaped and have a purplish, sometimes bronzy tinge to them in the wintertime, with new growth having a reddish color. This shrubs flowers bloom April to May, a dainty pinkish-white bell that attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Evergreen Huckleberry have small purplish-black berries that are a local nutrient-rich superfood, that could be growing right in your own backyard! These absolutely delicious berries ripen in late summer and remain on the plant into December. They have more antioxidant power than any other cultivated berry and are emblematic of Pacific Northwest summers enjoyed by humans, and wildlife alike.
*Full sun to partial, dappled shade. Tolerant of shade but may not flower or fruit.
*Prefer well-drained sandy or loamy, fairly acidic soil
*Suitable on slopes, along edges, and openings of larger growth
*3 to 6 feet in sun, 12 plus feet in the shade
*Sold as a Plug
*Sold in bundles of 5
q’ʷq’ʷəlac *Lushootseed provided by the Puyallup Tribal Language Program and audio by Chris Briden, Puyallup Tribal member.