{"product_id":"vaccinium-native-blue-ornamen","title":"Vaccinium Native Blue (Ornamen)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNative PNW Huckleberry (Vaccinium spp.)\u003c\/strong\u003e is a grower's choice native blueberry-relative, almost certainly \u003cstrong\u003eVaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry)\u003c\/strong\u003e based on the 'Native Blue' framing, possibly V. parvifolium (Red Huckleberry). Both species are signature understory shrubs of the PNW coast, both edible, both major wildlife plants, both excellent in cultivation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEvergreen Huckleberry (V. ovatum)\u003c\/strong\u003e is a slow-growing three-to-five-foot evergreen shrub of coastal British Columbia south through California. Glossy small leathery leaves stay polished year-round, the new growth flushes coppery-bronze, and small white-to-pink urn-shaped flowers in spring ripen into clusters of blue-black berries by late summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe headline ecology is the \u003cstrong\u003especialist native bee pollination\u003c\/strong\u003e. Vaccinium has a guild of specialist Andrena and Habropoda mining bees that forage almost exclusively on huckleberry and blueberry pollen. Bumblebees do most of the heavy lifting in cool maritime spring weather (their warm body temperature buzz-pollinates the urn-shaped flowers efficiently).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe berries are \u003cstrong\u003eedible\u003c\/strong\u003e. Pacific Coast Indigenous peoples have eaten huckleberries fresh, dried, and in cakes for generations. They also feed band-tailed pigeons, varied thrushes, robins, jays, chipmunks, and bears.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoastal-friendly.\u003c\/strong\u003e V. ovatum is a coastal forest specialist of the southern Oregon understory. Tolerates salt-influenced shade and sandy acidic soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote on deer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Both species are browsed by black-tailed deer; foliage and new growth are preferred. Protect young plants until established.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeautiful in part-shade native borders with salal, sword fern, Pacific rhododendron, and Pacific Wax Myrtle for a layered coastal understory.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dragonfly Farm \u0026 Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Youngblood Nursery","offer_id":43999785582680,"sku":"00504561","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/dragonflyfarmlanglois.com\/products\/vaccinium-native-blue-ornamen","provider":"Dragonfly Farm \u0026 Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}