Bilberry (blueberry)
Vaccinium myrtillus
Botanical family: Ericaceae
A subshrub of woods and heaths on siliceous mountains (Vaccinium myrtillus, Ericaceae family), with small deciduous leaves and blue-black berries. Like the other Ericaceae (heather, rhododendron), it demands a very acid soil (pH 4.5 to 6) and yellows where there is lime. Its flowers are pollinated by bees, flies and butterflies; sources disagree on whether it is self-fertile, hence the advice to plant several. Sources: Tela Botanica, “Vaccinium myrtillus L.” (Coste's flora); Plants For A Future, “Vaccinium myrtillus”.
Sun to partial shade
Acid (pH 4-5), humus-rich
Moderate: moist soil, kept under a mulch
Very hardy (~-25 °C; the wild bilberry V. myrtillus hardier still)
Overwinters in your zone
Cross-pollination (2 plants min.)
Better crops with several plants or two varieties
Role in permaculture
An acid-soil shrub at home in an ericaceous bed, alongside plants that share its needs (strawberry, other Ericaceae), never with lavender or rosemary, which want the opposite. Its fruit set depends on buzz pollination: the bumblebee vibrates the flower to shake the pollen loose where the honeybee struggles, so planting several bushes of different varieties ensures good cross-pollination. A bark or pine-needle mulch keeps the soil cool and moist, as it likes, without raising the pH of its acid soil. Low and spreading, it fills the shrub layer of an open woodland and feeds the early bumblebees of spring.
Good companions
Traditional companion planting (benefit not demonstrated)
Poor companions
Insects attracted or useful
Known pests & diseases
Pests and diseases that commonly affect this plant, tap to learn how to recognise and manage them.
Seasons & availability
Bilberries: July to September.
Available: July, August, September.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Vaccinium myrtillus » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Vaccinium+myrtillus)
- FloreAlpes, « Vaccinium myrtillus / Myrtille » (florealpes.com/fiche_myrtille.php)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Clearly distinguish the food fruit from concentrated extracts.
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Common varieties
Before you forage
This plant is often gathered from the wild. Only pick what is abundant, never a protected species, and never uproot a whole plant (roots) without the landowner's permission. Rules vary by country and region, check locally.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers sun to partial shade exposure.
- • Ideal soil: acid (ph 4-5), humus-rich.
- • Classic companion: Strawberry.
- • Keep away from: Lavender.