Flower profile

Black huckleberry

Gaylussacia baccata

Black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) is a shrub in the Ericaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–June across the U.S.

Native to Maine

Black huckleberry is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Maine it's most often seen in bloom in May–June.

29states where USDA records it

1,054ME sightings*

6,958U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Maine

Quick look

Gaylussacia baccata, the black huckleberry, is a common huckleberry found throughout a wide area of eastern North America.
From Wikipedia's article Gaylussacia baccata, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Ericaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 29 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Maine. ^NatureServe
In Maine, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 4 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 1,054 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #69 among the 160 flowers on our Maine list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Maine, most flowering sightings come in May–June.

Flowering records by month in Maine (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (93 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Maine: Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. ^{Maine rare plant list}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: IA (S1), MN (S2), MO (S1), SC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Berries are edible raw or cooked.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records black huckleberry in 29 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Maine counties with USDA records: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington, York.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Black huckleberry a low shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.5 to 6.5 and winter lows down to -33 °F.

Shade tolerance: Low
Drought tolerance: Medium
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 4.5 to 6.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -33 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 100
Annual precipitation range: 28 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth: 14 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Slow
Lifespan: Long
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Black · Summer to Summer
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability: No Known Source

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for GABA. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native; St. Pierre and Miquelon: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Decachaena baccata, Gaylussacia resinosa.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 669 counties across 26 states; the most are in Virginia (100), Pennsylvania (65), Michigan (63).

More from the Ericaceae family (55 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Ghost pipe, Rhododendrons and azaleas, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Salal, Woodland pinedrops, Pinesap.

More Maine flowers

Ghost pipe

Monotropa uniflora

Native

🌼 Blooms in ME: July–September

Sheep laurel

Kalmia angustifolia

Native

🌼 Blooms in ME: June–July

Eastern teaberry (wintergreen)

Gaultheria procumbens

Native

🌼 Blooms in ME: July–August

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile GABA.
iNaturalist, Gaylussacia baccata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Gaylussacia baccata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Maine: Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories.
Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Gaylussacia baccata (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Lynn Harper via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.