Red Huckleberries

Day 313: Nobody believes me when I jokingly tell them that these are red blueberries, but essentially it's true. Our wild blueberries are members of the Vaccinium species as are their red cousins here.

Vaccinium parvifolium is a plant familiar to anyone who spends time in the woods in the Pacific Northwest. It grows on decaying wood and is often found sprawling over the tops of old stumps, the bushes reaching heights of 10 feet or more when fully established. The red berries are delicious when eaten out of the hand, but make a rather watery jelly which requires additional pectin to get a good "set." They can also be dried for snacking, or reconstituted as an additive for muffins and pancakes. The plants generally bear prolifically, as shown here.