How to Identify Huckleberries in Montana

Overview

Huckleberries (Vaccinium parvifolium) primarily thrive in the northwestern United States, growing through Montana all the way to Alaska. When identifying a huckleberry, it is important to know that they look like blueberries since they are in the same family and genus. It is important to be able to identify the two types of huckleberries, black and red, in case you need to distinguish them from other berry plants.

Step 1

Understand where huckleberries prefer to grow, which is along the Pacific Coast, coniferous forests inland, and most often from Northern California to Montana to Alaska. Keep in mind that the colder the climate, the more likely the huckleberry variety will be evergreen (blackberries).

Step 2

Search for huckleberry shrubs in areas with shade and around fallen trees or stumps. Both huckleberry varieties have rounded leaves and fine twiggy branches.

Step 3

Look for the evergreen black huckleberry that is 5 to 6 feet tall with dark green foliage and thick leaves. The berries are dark blue to black, resembling the 1/2-inch diameter size and round shape of blueberries.

Step 4

Search for the red huckleberry plant. This variety has lighter green leaves with a lacy texture and grows from 6 to 8 feet high. Red huckleberries resemble red blueberries and are quite tart. In the past, they were used as "salmon egg" bait for fisherman. Look for berries in the summer, specifically from June to August.

Step 5

Look for flowers during the spring season, specifically between May and June. The flowers on both huckleberry varieties are light pink.

Step 6

Taste the berries if you are confident they are huckleberries, as they have thicker skins and a little more crispness to the bite (because of the edible seeds). The flavor for both red and black huckleberries is slightly tart and bolder than that of blueberries or raspberries.