medicinal herbs
Black Huckleberry
Gaylussacia baccata
Herb: Black Huckleberry
Latin name: Gaylussacia baccata
Synonyms: Andromeda baccata, Gaylussacia resinosa, Vaccinium resinosum
Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)
Medicinal use of Black Huckleberry:
An infusion of the leaves, or the bark, has been used in the treatment of dysentery. An infusion of the leaves has been used in the treatment of Bright's disease.Description of the plant:
Plant:
DeciduousShrub
Height:
100 cm(3 1/4 foot)
Flowering:
May toJune
Habitat of the herb:
Dry or moist woods, thickets and clearings, on acidic sandy soils.Edible parts of Black Huckleberry:
Fruit - raw or cooked. Deliciously spicy and sweet, they can be eaten out of hand or used in pies, preserves etc. They can also be dried for later use. The dried fruit can be ground into a powder then mixed with cereal flours to make bread. The fruit is rather seedy. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter.Propagation of the herb:
Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 1 month warm stratification followed by 2 months cold. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots of lime-free compost and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer when they are at least 15cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Layering. Division in spring.Cultivation of Black Huckleberry:
Dry or moist woods, thickets and clearings, on acidic sandy soils.Known hazards of Gaylussacia baccata:
None knownPlant information taken from the Plants For A Future.