[Huckleberries, Bilberries, Blueberries and Cranberries: The Genus Vaccinium East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Dwarf Grouseberry, Grouseberry, Grouse Whortleberry, Whortleberry

Vaccinium scoparium

Synonym: Oxycoccus palustris var. intermedium

Grouseberry as seen along the Onion Creek Trail #368 to the south of Strawberry Mountain, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness........August 3, 2011.

Characteristics:

Also known as small-leaved huckleberry grouseberry is a dwarf shrub with many erect, branched branches from 10-40 cm high. The slender branches are green or yellowish-green and sharply angled. They are typically glabrous but may occasionally bear some minute hairs. The stems are largely devoid of leaves, which are mainly found at the tips of the stems. The blades are thin in cross-section and narrowly ovate in shape, measuring 8-16 mm long with minute, fine teeth along the margins. The blades are glabrous or may bear some minute hairs on the leaves (See photo at right.). The lower surface of the blades are conspicuously veiny.

The nodding flowers are solitary in the axils at the tips of the branches. The pedicels are 2-2.5 mm long. The bell-shaped corolla has united petals with the lobes free and spreading. The corolla which is up to 3 mm long is widest near its base and narrows gradually towards the mouth of the corolla. The fruit is a sweet, globose, red berry from 3-5 mm wide.

Habitat:

Grouseberry is found at higher elevations, typically in the shade of coniferous forests in the mountains.

Range:

Grouseberry may be found from British Columbia south to northern California and east through Idaho to the Rocky Mts, where it is found southward to Colorado and northward to Alberta. From the Rockies, it t is found eastwards to South Dakota.

Grouseberry in bloom along the Skyline Trail at the east end of the Strawberry Mountains, central Oregon.........May 28, 2014.

Grouseberry blooming along the Twin Pillars Trail #832 about one mile south of the Bingham Springs trailhead, Mill Creek Wilderness......May 25, 2018.

Grouseberry blooming along the Road's End Trail #201, Malheur National Forest and Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.....July 7, 2023.

Dwarf Grouse-berry, Grouseberry, Grouse Whortleberry, Whortleberry: Vaccinium scoparium (Synonym: Oxycoccus palustris var. intermedium) - -

Close-ups of the crowded branches, leaves and flowers of grouseberry as seen at Point Perception at the western edge of the Eagle Cap Wilderness of northeastern Oregon.......June 28, 2004.

Paul Slichter