Thin-leaf-huckleberry
Vaccinium membranaceum
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Thin-leaf-huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part sun
Water
medium
Size
36"–72" H × 36"–60" W
Bloom
May, Jun
Native to
AZ, CA, CO, ID and 7 more states
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
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An upright deciduous shrub with fine-textured foliage and small pink-tinged bell-shaped flowers in late spring. Dark purple-black berries follow in summer, and fall color turns brilliant red.
Wildlife value
Host plant for brown elfin.
Flowers feed bees, berries are eaten by birds and mammals, and the foliage hosts brown elfin caterpillars.
Common questions
- How much sun does Thin-leaf-huckleberry need?
- Thin-leaf-huckleberry grows best in part sun conditions.
- When does Thin-leaf-huckleberry bloom?
- Thin-leaf-huckleberry blooms in May and June.
- Where is Thin-leaf-huckleberry native?
- Thin-leaf-huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum) is native to AZ, CA, CO, ID and 7 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What butterflies or moths does Thin-leaf-huckleberry host?
- Thin-leaf-huckleberry is a larval host plant for brown elfin.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Thin-leaf-huckleberry? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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