# common bilberry (*Vaccinium myrtillus*) Common bilberries are small, round berries that grow on low bushes. They are delicious and can be found in forests and mountains, often turning blue when ripe! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** European Blueberry, Wild Blueberry ![common bilberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/203_Vaccinum_myrtillus_L.jpg&width=800) Photo: Amédée Masclef, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:203_Vaccinum_myrtillus_L.jpg) ## Appearance The common bilberry is a low-growing shrub with small, oval, bright green leaves. Its tiny, bell-shaped flowers are often pinkish-green. The dark blue-black berries have a dusty bloom and a flat top, distinguishing them from cultivated blueberries. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Vaccinium ## Interesting facts - Bilberry berries have been used for dyeing fabrics for hundreds of years! - Bilberry bushes can live for over 30 years in the wild! - Its leaves turn a beautiful fiery red in autumn before falling off. - The tiny bell-shaped flowers are also edible and taste slightly sweet. ## Special abilities - **Underground Networker:** Common bilberry has spreading underground stems (rhizomes) that help it form dense patches and regenerate quickly. - **Winter Warrior:** Its small, tough stems and deciduous leaves help it survive harsh, cold winters in mountainous and northern regions. - **Berry Stainer:** The deep purple pigments in its berries can stain teeth and fabrics, helping attract animals for seed dispersal. - **Acid Lover:** It can grow well in acidic, nutrient-poor soils where many other plants struggle, giving it a unique advantage. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Spread:** 10-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-6 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Spring - Early Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Brown Bear](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-bear) (*Ursus arctos*) — Bears eagerly consume its nutritious berries. - **Eaten by:** [Roe Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — Deer browse on its leaves and young shoots. - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Bees gather nectar from its small flowers. - **Eaten by:** Eurasian Red Squirrel (*Sciurus vulgaris*) — Squirrels feed on its berries and flower buds. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [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. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## 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 common 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 common bilberry? 10-60 cm ### How wide does common bilberry spread? 10-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on common bilberry? 4-6 cm ### When does common bilberry bloom? Late Spring - Early Summer ### Is common bilberry edible? Yes ### Is common bilberry toxic? None ### What is common bilberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Biosphärenreservat Pfälzerwald-Nordvogesen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pfalzerwald-nordvogesen-biosphere-reserve) — Rheinland-Pfalz, DE · Park - [Naturpark Diemelsee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/diemelsee-nature-park) — Hessen; Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Biosphärenreservat Rhön](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rhon-biosphere-reserve) — Bayern; Hessen; Thüringen, DE · Park - [Harz National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harz-national-park) — Niedersachsen; Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park - [Naturpark Hessische Rhön](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-hessische-rhon) — Hessen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/niederlausitzer-heidelandschaft-nature-park) — Brandenburg, DE · Park [View all places to see common bilberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-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: [Common Bilberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-bilberry)