https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/241594529
This time I went out the road here in Juneau for a drive and I found some berries, I wasn't sure what they were at first, but it looks like they might be Red Huckleberries (if I am wrong please let me know!). When I’ve visited my family in Montana I've tried the huckleberries down there where they looked more like blueberries, I didn't know they could be red! They are a part of the genus Vaccinium, more specifically called Vaccinium parvifolium, and can be found along the Pacific coast, from southeast Alaska to central California. It is a staple food for many birds and mammals, including bears, raccoons, deers, mountain goats, elk, and more. Many eat the bears, but also the twigs and foliage are important for browsing for deer, mountain goats, and elk (“Red Huckleberry, Vaccinium parvifolium”).
Red huckleberries can be picked and made into jam to be eaten, or eaten right off the shrub. However, they have also been eaten by many coastal First Nations peoples. They would eat it fresh, mashed, dried, and even bake them into cakes for winter use. It was also said sometimes a wooden comb are used to rake the berries off the branches. Some communities, like the Kwakwaka’wakw, boil the berries with salmon spawn in cedar boxes, then seal the top of the boxes with a type of fish and skunk cabbage, preserving the berries for many months. The leaves and bark could be used by infusing it in water and then drinking it to soothe a sore throat (“Red Huckleberry”). The leaves and stems could also be chopped up and used to treat gout (“Planet Alaska: Red huckleberries: Food for songbirds”). These berries, like others, can be used by both animals and humans for food, and even medicine to help when a person gets sick.
Faith Prescott , Vivian. “Planet Alaska: Red Huckleberries: Food for Songbirds.” Juneau Empire, 31 Oct. 2019, www.juneauempire.com/news/planet-alaska-red-huckleberries-food-for-songbirds/#:~:text=Indigenous%20peoples%20in%20the%20Pacific,and%20used%20to%20treat%20gout.
“Red Huckleberry, Vaccinium Parvifolium.” Native Plants PNW, 8 Feb. 2016, nativeplantspnw.com/red-huckleberry-vaccinium-parvifolium/.
“Red Huckleberry.” Sierra Club BC, 9 Feb. 2024, sierraclub.bc.ca/red-huckleberry/#:~:text=TRADITIONAL%20USES%20BY%20INDIGENOUS%20PEOPLES&text=Gargle%20infusion%20of%20leaves%20and,made%20into%20a%20dietary%20supplement.
Comments
I am so glad that you did these red berries because I have wanted to know what these are for the longest time and never could figure it out. I have even tried asking people and they would also have no clue. I know that you still aren't too sure if you are right or not about these being red huckleberries, however, it puts me one step closer to having a final answer so I am grateful for that. I really enjoyed your story about visiting your family in Montana and trying huckleberries there that were blue because I also didn't know that they could be red. I believe you did a great job of finding information on them and I appreciate you posting something that you aren't sure about because I know I would be a little scared to do that so thank you for showing me that it is okay to not know something but still go for it and try to learn!
Yes, these look like Red Huckleberries, Halle! The Blueberries, Cranberries, Huckleberries, and Allies can be difficult to tell apart to species. Sometimes, for example, you have to actually feel the stem of the plants and assess whether the stem is rounded or squared, and this can be a deciding factor in identifying the plant to species. There are also plants called huckleberries that have blue berries, and there are several different varieties of blueberries, many with different common names. It can be a bit overwhelming keeping them all straight! Fortunately, they're all safe to eat, so you don't have to worry about the danger of eating them, and instead over time you'll just have your own personal preference. :) Also, with time with you'll become familiar with their different names and ways to identify them.
Prof Brooke
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