huckleberries seeds

HUCKLEBERRY

Unlike wonderberries or blueberries, the easy-to-grow huckleberry will need cooking, as they are bitter when raw and unsweetened,although some people do eat them when they are ripe and soft. But a real culinary miracle occurs when you cook and sweeten this variety of garden huckleberries! In America they are traditionally used to make delicious pies and jams but for some reason, elsewhere in the world they have never really caught on. Please don't forget, do NOT eat when unripe, as with many fruits, they can give you severe tummy-ache even in small quantities.

Sowing Advice

Seeds are surface-sown or covered only slightly. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Containers are held in warm conditions until sprouts appear, which may take anywhere from 3-10 days. Move sprouting plantings immediately to bright light conditions, such as a south-facing window. Support with cane or wires.

Growing Garden Huckleberry from Seed Posted on 3 Jan 14:16 , 1 comment

Thank you so very much for having this information available for people like me. I have never been around any huckleberry. I have heard stories about the jelly and pies that my grandmother had made.
I was cleaning out my mom’s freezer and came across her bag of seeds. I was so excited to see that she had huckleberry seeds. Of course you guessed it, I have some planted in a pot. I measured them and they are now ranging from 11″-17″.
They have been in a pot since February, can you suggest when I should put them in the ground?
Again, thank you for your information.

Small, dark purple or purple or black fruit that is edible (despite looking like nightshade) and is usually cooked or boiled before eating. See below for more explanation.

Seed Availability

Seeds are now available at our seed store.

Description

Very small shrub, usually growing to only 12-24″. There are a number of varieties of garden huckleberry to which there is some confusion. The wonderberry is actually a garden huckleberry variant hybridized by famed plant breeder Luther Burbank. Wonderberries have superior flavor to most garden huckleberries, although there are some sweet varieties of garden huckleberry that are worthwhile for the home grower. Caution should be advised not to confuse the fruits with those of nighshade (a very close relative), as nightshade fruits are highly poisonous.

Hardiness

Not frost hardy. Will reseed in areas of frost. Sunset Zones: All zones USDA: All zones

Growing Environment

Plants require virtually no care other than water. Grow in the ground or in pots, plants are fairly short lived and make excellent annuals.

Propagation

By seed. May fruit in just 2-3 months.

Cooked and used as a flavoring for various desserts. The unripe (green) berries are poisonous.

Native Range

A variety of the deadly nightshade, supposedly originating from Africa.

Related Species

Solanaceae
Acnistus arborescens Wild Tobacco	Brugmansia arborea Angel’s Trumpet
Brugmansia aurea Golden Angel’s Trumpet	Brugmansia candida White Angel’s Trumpet
Brugmansia sanguinea Red Angel’s Trumpet	Brugmansia suaveolens Angel’s Trumpet
Brugmansia versicolor Orange Angel’s Trumpet	Capsicum caballeroi Capsicum caballeroi
Capsicum exile Cobincho Pepper	Capsicum eximium Capsicum eximium
Capsicum flexuosum Capsicum flexuosum	Capsicum galapagoense Galapagos Island Pepper
Capsicum praetermissum Cumari	Capsicum rhomboideum Capsicum rhomboideum
Cyphomandra abutiloides Dwarf Tamarillo	Cyphomandra betacea Tree Tomato
Datura inoxia Thorn Apple	Datura metel Double Purple Datura
Iochroma australe (Acnistus australis) Mini Angel’s Trumpet	Iochroma cyaneum Violet Churcu
Iochroma fuchsioides Red Iochroma	Iochroma grandiflora Giant Iochroma
Jaltomata procumbens Jaltomato	Lycopersicon melanocarpa Lycopersicon melanocarpa
Lycopersicon skorospelka Lycopersicon skorospelka	Nicotiana glauca Tree Tobacco
Physalis alkekengi Chinese Lantern	Physalis angulata Mullaca
Physalis costomatl Cotztomatl	Physalis ixocarpa Tomatillo
Physalis minima Sunberry	Physalis peruviana Cape Gooseberry
Physalis pruinosa Ground Cherry	Solanum aviculare Kangaroo Apple
Solanum burbankii Wonderberry	Solanum caripense Tzimbalo
Solanum chessmanii Galapagos Island Tomato	Solanum dulcamara Bittersweet
Solanum hispidum Giant Devil’s Fig	Solanum lycocarpum Fruit for Wolves
Solanum macrocarpon Gbogname	Solanum mammosum Nipple Fruit
Solanum melanocerasum Garden Huckleberry	Solanum muricatum Pepino
Solanum pseudolulo Pseudolulo	Solanum quitoense Naranjilla
Solanum sessiliflorum Cocona	Solanum uporo Cannibal’s Tomato
Withania somnifera Ashwagandha