Bilberry

Sun

Partial shade or sun in cool climates; shelter from strong afternoon sun in warmer areas.

Water

Keep the shallow root zone consistently moist but not waterlogged; water carefully during dry spells and fruit development.

Soil

Acidic, humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, ideally pH 4.0-5.5; unsuitable for chalky or lime-rich ground.

Height

0.5-2 ft (0.15-0.6 m)

Spread

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m), eventually wider through underground stems

Flowers

Mid- to late spring; small, rounded, pale pink to pinkish-green flowers.

Foliage

Small, oval, finely toothed green leaves turn red or orange in autumn; young stems are green and sharply angled.

Growth

Slow to moderate; often slow to establish.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US, Canada and the UK

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant in acidic soil and keep the root ball at its original depth.
• Water during dry spells, preferably with rainwater where tap water is alkaline.
• Mulch annually with leaf mould or composted pine bark, keeping mulch away from the stem bases.
• Avoid heavy feeding; use a light application of fertiliser for acid-loving plants in spring only if growth is weak.
• Avoid hoeing around the shallow roots and spreading underground stems.
• For better fruit set, grow several plants from genetically different stock rather than divisions of one plant.

Pruning. In late winter, remove dead, damaged or crossing stems. Once plants are established, occasionally cut a few of the oldest stems to ground level; avoid shearing, which removes fruiting growth.

Pick berries in summer when they are fully blue-black beneath their dusty bloom, soften slightly and detach easily; the flesh and juice are dark purple. Harvest gently by hand, as the small berries bruise easily. Allow roughly 3-5 years from planting for a worthwhile crop, depending on plant size and growing conditions.

Late winter

Remove dead wood and thin a few old stems from established plants.

Spring

Plant container-grown stock while conditions are cool and the soil is moist.

Mid-spring

Renew the acidic organic mulch and feed lightly only if needed.

Late spring

Keep flowering plants watered during dry weather and avoid insecticides while bees are visiting.

Summer

Pick ripe berries regularly; protect the crop with taut, wildlife-safe mesh if necessary.

Autumn

Plant or move small dormant plants after leaf fall, provided the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.

• Use as a low edible layer beneath lightly shading trees on acidic soil.
• Plant in informal drifts with heathers for a heathland effect.
• Edge woodland paths where berries and autumn leaf colour can be enjoyed close up.
• Combine with small ferns and other acid-loving plants in a cool, naturalistic garden.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Edible landscape, Food forest, Wildlife garden, Cottage garden and Mountain lodge.

Plant it with: Heather, Lingonberry, Dwarf rhododendrons, Hard fern and Wavy hair-grass.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, especially bumblebees. Birds and small mammals eat the berries, and established patches provide low cover.

• Yellow leaves with greener veins often indicate excessive soil pH: check the pH and move plants to suitable acidic soil or an ericaceous container mix rather than repeatedly feeding.
• Wilting or scorched leaves during hot, dry weather: water deeply, mulch and provide afternoon shade.
• Root rot in saturated ground: improve drainage or move plants to a raised acidic bed; do not leave containers standing in water.
• Birds taking ripening berries: use taut, wildlife-safe mesh supported clear of the plants and check it daily.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Ripe berries are edible, though large amounts may cause digestive upset; leaves are not a routine food, and the safety of concentrated leaf preparations is uncertain.

• Bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum)

  Has rounded, brownish stems and generally bluish-green leaves with smooth margins; its berries have pale flesh rather than bilberry's dark purple flesh.

• Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)

  Usually a much taller shrub with larger leaves and berries borne in clusters; the berries normally have pale flesh.

• Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)

  Has evergreen, leathery leaves with rolled margins and dark dots beneath; ripe berries are red rather than blue-black.

The species name myrtillus means 'little myrtle', referring to the resemblance of its leaves to those of myrtle.

Propagation. Separate rooted shoots from an established patch during dormancy, keeping roots moist and disturbing the parent plant as little as possible. Seed is slow and variable; surface-sow ripe, cleaned seed in acidic compost and expose it to a natural winter in a protected cold frame.

Accepted botanical name

Vaccinium myrtillus

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states. Introduced in Greenland.

Native range

Albania, Alberta, Altay, Amur, Arizona, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, British Columbia, Bulgaria and Buryatiya.

Measured

Soil pH 4 to 4.5. Average height 12 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.