Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Weyand, Phyllis

Vaccinium uliginosum

Vaccinium uliginosum L.

Bog Blueberry, Alpine Blueberry

Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Synonym(s): Vaccinium occidentale, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. alpinum, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. gaultherioides, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. microphyllum, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. occidentale, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. pedris, Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. pubescens, Vaccinium uliginosum var. alpinum, Vaccinium uliginosum var. occidentale, Vaccinium uliginosum var. salicinum

USDA Symbol: VAUL

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N), GL (N), SPM (N)

An 8-24 in., much-branched blueberry bush with firm, oval leaves. Pinkish bell-shaped flowers occur 1-4 per axil. Berries are dark blue and glaucous.

From the Image Gallery

4 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Berry
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.
Leaf: Dark Green
Fruit: Dark blue.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AK , CA , ID , ME , MI , MN , MT , NH , NV , NY , OR , UT , VT , WA , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC , SK
Native Distribution: Circumpolar, s. in the U.S. to n. New England, extreme n.e. MN, & Humbolt Co., CA
Native Habitat: Heath & bogs

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: None
Soil Description: Wet, acid soils.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Heath Sulphur (Colias chippewa), Polaris Fritillary (Boloria polaris)

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Heath Sulphur
(Colias chippewa)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

Polaris Fritillary
(Boloria polaris)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Description: Vaccinium species are propagated by seeds, cuttings and rooted suckers of offshoots.
Seed Treatment: Dormancy varies. Cold-moist stratification may be necessary.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:		FAC	FACW			FAC			FAC	FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 37 - Calscape (2019) California Native Plant Society
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Vaccinium uliginosum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Vaccinium uliginosum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Vaccinium uliginosum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-03-01
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back