Huckleberries are a diverse group of small, flavorful berries primarily from the genera Gaylussacia (true huckleberries) and Vaccinium (often called huckleberries in the western U.S., though botanically closer to blueberries). They’re native mostly to North America, thriving in acidic soils, forests, and mountainous regions.
Known for their tart to sweet taste, they’re used in pies, jams, and traditional medicines, and many species are foraged rather than commercially cultivated due to their wild nature. While there are dozens of species worldwide, here I’ll discuss 16 notable types, focusing on common North American varieties. These include both eastern “true” huckleberries and western Vaccinium species often referred to as such.
Alaska Huckleberry (Vaccinium alaskense)
A medium to large shrub growing up to 6 feet tall, with oval-shaped leaves that are dark green above and pale below. It produces purplish-black or blue berries due to a waxy bloom. Native to the Pacific Northwest, it’s found in moist coniferous forests and is harvested in smaller amounts, though not as prized for sweetness as some others. Berries ripen in late summer and are used in jams.
Big Huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum)
Also known as mountain or thinleaf huckleberry, this tall shrub reaches 6 feet and features serrated, ovate leaves up to 2 inches long. Berries are round, purple to dark red (rarely white), and highly flavorful with a good balance of sweet and tart. It’s the most commercially harvested western huckleberry, especially in Idaho (the state fruit), growing in coniferous clearings from 2,000 to 11,000 feet. Native Americans value it culturally as the “chief” of berries.
Cascade Blueberry (Vaccinium deliciosum)
A low-growing shrub up to 1 foot tall with leaves showing a waxy bloom underneath. It bears large, bright blue, powdery berries with an outstanding aroma from high ester content. Found in alpine meadows and subalpine woods from California to British Columbia at 2,000–6,000 feet, it forms dense heaths in wet soils. Popular for foraging but limited by scattered populations; berries are excellent for fresh eating or desserts.
Dwarf Huckleberry (Vaccinium caespitosum)
A mat-forming shrub 6–12 inches high with bright green, veined leaves up to 1 inch long. Berries are small (up to 3/8 inch), bright blue, and excellently flavored. Widespread across North America in dry to wet acidic sites from sea level to 10,000 feet, it forms colonies and was used by Native Americans for food and trade. Not commercially picked due to berry size, but great for wildlife.
Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)
A dense, evergreen shrub up to 10+ feet tall with leathery, shiny, serrated leaves. Pink, bell-shaped flowers lead to black berries (1/4–3/8 inch) ripening late fall, high in antioxidants but low-yielding. Native to Pacific Coast forests from California to British Columbia, its foliage is harvested for floral arrangements, and berries for jams. It tolerates shade and poor soil well.
Globe Huckleberry (Vaccinium globulare)
A medium shrub up to 4 feet with oblong, finely toothed leaves up to 1.5 inches long, paler below with a waxy bloom. Solitary pale pink flowers produce small bluish-purple berries (<3/8 inch). Found in Washington’s coniferous forests, it’s less common but valued for its compact growth. Berries are tart and used in local preserves.
Grouse Whortleberry (Vaccinium scoparium)
Also called littleleaf huckleberry, this dwarf shrub (6 inches tall) has tiny, needle-like leaves and small red berries turning black. It grows in dry, rocky subalpine areas across the western U.S. and Canada. Berries are seedy and tart, attracting grouse (hence the name), and it’s foraged sparingly for teas or wildlife observation.
Low Sweet Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
A lowbush species up to 2 feet tall with elliptic leaves and clusters of white flowers yielding sweet, blue berries. Common in eastern North America and sometimes called a huckleberry variant in the Northeast, it thrives in acidic barrens and forests. Wild-harvested for pies; it’s more blueberry-like but included in huckleberry contexts for its similar ecology.
Oval-Leaf Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium)
A large shrub over 6 feet with oval leaves (3/4–1.75 inches) that may have a waxy bloom. Bronzy-pink flowers produce blue berries on curved stalks. Native to the Pacific Northwest through Canada at sea level to 6,500 feet in forest edges, berries are mild to sour, rich in anthocyanins, with potential for supplements. Less sweet than others, used in smaller harvests.
Red Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium)
A tall shrub (3–20+ feet) with deciduous leaves and waxy red berries that persist into winter. Found in coastal clearings from California to British Columbia at sea level to 3,500 feet. Berries are sour and low in antioxidants but were popular with Native tribes for jams. It grows epiphytically on rotting logs and has limited commercial value.
Western Huckleberry (Vaccinium occidentale)
Treated separately in some classifications (related to V. uliginosum), this bog-adapted shrub has small leaves and blue berries. Found east of the Cascades in Washington from lowlands to alpine bogs. It’s less documented but foraged for its tart fruit in wetland habitats.
Bog Blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum)
Also alpine or bog bilberry, a low shrub (up to 1 foot) with rounded leaves and powdery blue berries in small clusters. Widespread in northern wetlands, Great Lakes, and western U.S. to Asia. Berries have good flavor but low yields; harvested abroad for health products, it’s not a major North American crop but valued for antioxidants.
Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata)
A true huckleberry, this eastern shrub (2–5 feet) has deciduous leaves and black, seedy drupes (berries) with 10 nutlets. Common from Newfoundland to Georgia in dry woods and clearings. Berries are tart-sweet, used in pies; it’s long-lived and provides wildlife food, rare in some Midwest states.
Box Huckleberry (Gaylussacia brachycera)
A low, creeping shrub (up to 1 foot) with box-like evergreen leaves and small pink flowers yielding black berries. Native to eastern U.S. (e.g., Pennsylvania to Virginia) in rocky woods. Slow-growing and colonial via rhizomes, berries are edible but sparse; it’s threatened in parts of its range due to habitat loss.
Dwarf Huckleberry (Gaylussacia dumosa)
An eastern low shrub (3–15 inches) with semi-evergreen leaves and shiny black drupes. Found in pine barrens from Florida to Newfoundland in acidic, sandy soils. Berries are small and tart, used historically in breads; now split into subspecies, it’s important for bog ecosystems.
Thinleaf Huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum var. tenuifolium)
A low, rhizomatous shrub which is closely related to the mountain huckleberry, this variety thrives in higher elevations and produces, dark blue berries. It is an important berry for both wildlife and traditional Native American diets. Berries are seedy and mildly sweet; it’s less common but supports pollinators and is foraged occasionally for local cuisine.