Vaccinium glaucoalbum
Hook. f. ex C. B. Clarke
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Stephen Barstow (via Wikimedia Commons)
Summary
Source: WikipediaVaccinium glaucoalbum, the grey-white blueberry, is a species of Vaccinium native to Nepal, east Himalaya, and Myanmar, and Tibet and Yunnan in China. An evergreen shrub with white-bloomed black berries, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as an ornamental. It grows in thickets and forest margins. Local people collect and eat the fruit.
Description
An evergreen shrub. It grows 30-90 cm high and spreads 90 cm wide. It forms suckers. The leaves are oblong and have bristly edges. They are 6 cm long. They are hairy on the veins underneath. The flowers are white with pink tints. They are on long stalks 7 cm long that hang down. The fruit are purple-black berries.
Edible Uses
The ripe fruit are edible but leave an unpleasant taste after eating. They are also dried.
Traditional Uses
The ripe fruit are edible but leave an unpleasant taste after eating. They are also dried.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Known Hazards
The ripe fruit leave an unpleasant taste after eating.
Distribution
It suits temperate climates. It can grow in partial shade. It does best in a moist, acid soil. In Tibet it grows between 2,900-3,300 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-10. In Yunnan.
Where It Grows
Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Britain, China, Europe, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Tibet*,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown by cuttings.
Other Information
It is packaged and sold.
Dangerous Lookalikes
This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.
Deadly Nightshade
Atropa belladonna
Joan Simon from Barcelona, España
Vaccinium glaucoalbum
Vaccinium glaucoalbum
Stephen Barstow (via Wikimedia Commons)
Deadly Nightshade: Tall herbaceous plant (1-2m), single shiny black cherry-sized berries, star-shaped calyx, large oval leaves, sweet but dangerous taste.
Vaccinium glaucoalbum: Low woody shrub, berries in clusters with crown/remnant calyx ring, sweet taste.
Also Known As
Bya-lo, Shakshima
References (7)
- Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 1039
- Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1453
- Ding, X., 2021, Collection calendar: the diversity and local knowledge of wild edible plants used by Chenthang Sherpa people to treat seasonal food shortages in Tibet, China. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 17:40
- J. D. Hooker, Fl. Brit. India 3:453. 1882 "glauco-album"
- Ryan, S., 2008, Dicksonia. Rare Plants Manual. Hyland House. p 59
Show all 7 references Hide references
- Tsering, J., et al, 2017, Ethnobotanical appraisal on wild edible plants used by the Monpa community of Arunchal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol 16(4), October 2017, pp 626-637
- Trehane, J., 2004, Blueberries, Cranberries and Other Vacciniums. Timber Press. p 227
