Vaccinium myrtillus Seeds | Bilberry
LATIN NAME: Vaccinium myrtillus
COMMON NAME: Bilberry, Whortleberry, Blaeberry
Plant Profile
Vaccinium myrtillus, commonly known as Bilberry, is a low, deciduous shrub in the heath family (Ericaceae), native to cooler regions of Europe, Asia and north America. Bilberry is a low, leafy, wiry shrub of heaths and woodlands, and its small, round, blue-black berries have made it one of the most loved of the wild fruits. Its flowers draw a steady traffic of bees and other beneficial insects. Add these qualities together and you have a species well worth a place in the garden.
Science & Biotechnology
Within the heath family, Vaccinium myrtillus is of continuing interest to researchers working on plant diversity, seed biology and the selection of improved garden forms. Bilberry has a real and distinguished place in the research. For researchers, plants like this one offer practical material for propagation studies and selection work.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Bilberry for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Ecologically, bilberry is a generous plant of the heath. Its small, pink, bell-shaped flowers feed bees and insects, and its small, round, blue-black berries feed birds and wildlife, while its low, leafy mats give a fine cover to ground of the heath. On open heath and moors of its home it colours ground blue-black with its fruit in late summer, a sight familiar to walkers and gatherers of the region. Mature plants need little attention in a well-chosen position.
Blueberries are the brain berry, with human studies on their anthocyanins for memory and vascular health; cranberry, their cousin, is the evidence-backed urinary-tract fruit, and bilberry jam is Europe’s traditional eye tonic.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of Bilberry under ordinary good conditions. A simple routine works well: sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, maintain even moisture, and provide bright light. Pot the young plants on as they grow, harden them off gradually, and plant them into their final positions when sturdy.
Our Take
Among the Vaccinium group, it is one of the more distinctive species in cultivation. Bilberry, Whortleberry, Blaeberry earns its space through character rather than fuss. In a sunny, freely drained position it needs little looking after.
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