# bog bilberry (*Vaccinium uliginosum*) The bog bilberry is a small shrub that grows in wet, cool places. It produces tasty blue berries that are loved by animals and people alike! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![bog bilberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Vaccinium_uliginosum_fruit.jpg&width=800) Photo: David Gaya, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vaccinium_uliginosum_fruit.jpg) ## Appearance The bog bilberry is a small, upright shrub with distinctive bluish-green, oval leaves that turn red in autumn. It has small, urn-shaped flowers, typically pinkish-white, followed by round, dark blue berries covered in a pale, waxy bloom, making them look frosted. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Vaccinium ## Interesting facts - In autumn, its green leaves transform into brilliant shades of fiery red! - Its name comes from its favorite home: wet, spongy bogs! - The berries look frosted because they have a natural, waxy coating, just like some grapes! - Unlike blueberries, its berry flesh is pale or white inside, not blue! ## Special abilities - **Acid Soil Power:** Bog bilberry can thrive in very acidic, nutrient-poor bog soils that most plants cannot tolerate, helping it survive in harsh wetlands. - **Spreading Roots:** This plant has a network of underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread and stabilize in wet, loose bog ground. - **Frosty Berries:** Its dark blue berries are coated in a waxy bloom that helps protect them from drying out and makes them less appealing to some pests. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-70 cm - **Spread:** 20-50 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.4-0.6 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Eats:** [Brown Bear](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-bear) (*Ursus arctos*) — forages on its ripe berries - **Eats:** [Common Blackbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-blackbird) (*Turdus merula*) — feeds on its nutritious berries - **Eats:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — includes berries in its omnivorous diet ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before picking and eating wild berries. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify bog bilberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is bog bilberry? 10-70 cm ### How wide does bog bilberry spread? 20-50 cm ### How big are the flowers on bog bilberry? 0.4-0.6 cm ### When does bog bilberry bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is bog bilberry edible? Yes ### Is bog bilberry toxic? None ### What is bog bilberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Kennecott](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennecott) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Naturpark Fichtelgebirge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fichtelgebirge-nature-park) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Naturpark Oberpfälzer Wald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-oberpfalzer-wald) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Biosphärenreservat Rhön](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rhon-biosphere-reserve) — Bayern; Hessen; Thüringen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Hessische Rhön](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-hessische-rhon) — Hessen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Südschwarzwald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/southern-black-forest-nature-park) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park [View all places to see bog bilberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bog-bilberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Bog Bilberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bog-bilberry)