Vaccinium padifolium

Sm.

Madeiran whortleberry

Ericaceae Edible: Fruit 614 iNaturalist observations

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

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Summary

Madeira blueberry or Uva-de-serra (Vaccinium padifolium ) is very common at elevations between 800 and 1,700 metres (2,600 and 5,600 ft). It grows mainly in crevices and exposed slopes and mountain plains. Fruits are used in preserves. It is endemic to the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo, Portugal.

Description

A shrub or small tree. It can be 2 m high. The leaves are sword shaped and 4 cm long by 1.2 cm wide. The leaves remain on the tree for a long time. They turn purple-red. The flowers are in stalked groups. They are bell shaped and green with a pink tinge. The fruit are round blue berries 8-12 mm across.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. It is sweet, black, and juicy with a pleasant acidity. Each fruit is about 12mm in diameter.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is native to Madiera Island in the mountains between 300-900 m altitude. It grows in temperate and subtropical regions.

Where It Grows

Atlantic, Britain, Europe, Madeira, Mediterranean, Portugal,

Cultivation

Requires a moist but freely-draining lime free soil, preferring one that is rich in peat or a light loamy soil with added leaf-mould. Prefers a very acid soil with a pH in the range of 4.5 to 6, plants soon become chlorotic when lime is present. Succeeds in full sun or light shade though it fruits better in a sunny position. Requires shelter from strong winds. Not very frost-tolerant, it succeeds outdoors in the milder areas of Britain and is also hardy at Kew. Succeeds in a woodland garden. Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions. This species is closely related to V. arctostaphylos. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.

Propagation

Sow seed in late winter in a greenhouse using a lime-free potting mix, barely covering it. Stored seed may need up to 3 months of cold stratification. Alternatively, sow fresh seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. When seedlings reach about 5cm tall, prick them out into individual pots and grow on in a lightly shaded position in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out into permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5–8cm with a heel, can be taken in August in a frame, though this method is slow and difficult. Layering can be done in late summer or early autumn — though one report favours spring — and takes 18 months. Suckers can be divided in spring or early autumn.

Other Uses

None known.

Dangerous Lookalikes

This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.

DEADLY

Deadly Nightshade

Atropa belladonna

Joan Simon from Barcelona, España

Safe

Madeiran whortleberry

Vaccinium padifolium

Deadly Nightshade: Tall herbaceous plant (1-2m), single shiny black cherry-sized berries, star-shaped calyx, large oval leaves, sweet but dangerous taste.

Madeiran whortleberry: Low woody shrub, berries in clusters with crown/remnant calyx ring, sweet taste.

Synonyms

V. arctostaphylos. non L. V. maderense.

References (3)

Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
A. Rees, Cycl. 36: Vaccinium no. 22. 1817
Trehane, J., 2004, Blueberries, Cranberries and Other Vacciniums. Timber Press. p 238