Dwarf Bilberry (Vaccinium caespitosum)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −45.6 °C
Cultivation
Requires a moist but freely-draining lime free soil, preferring one that is rich in peat or a light loamy soil with added leaf-mould. Hardy to about -30°c. A dense suckering low-growing shrub. This species is closely related to V. deliciosum. Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.
Propagation
Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed. Once they are about 5cm tall, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August in a frame. Slow and difficult. Layering in late summer or early autumn. Division of suckers in spring or early autumn.
Edible uses
Fruit - raw or cooked. A tea is made from the leaves and dried fruits.
Medicinal uses
Antiseptic, astringent, carminative, hypoglycaemic.
Habitat
Rocky or gravelly banks in open woods or alpine scrub.
Native range
Northern and Western N. America - Alaska to California.