Herb: Alaska Blueberry


Latin name: Vaccinium alaskensis


Synonyms: Vaccinium ovalifolium


Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)



Edible parts of Alaska Blueberry:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Rather acidic with a watery taste. The North American Indians would often dry the fruit for use in winter.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
180 cm
(6 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Coastal woods and in the Cascades.

Propagation of Alaska Blueberry:

Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed. Stored seed might require a period of up to 3 months cold stratification. Another report says that it is best to sow the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. 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. Another report says that spring is the best time to layer. Takes 18 months. Division of suckers in spring or early autumn.

Cultivation of the herb:

Coastal woods and in the Cascades.

Medicinal use of Alaska Blueberry:

None known

Known hazards of Vaccinium alaskensis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.