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Vaccinium myrtillus

Bilberry · Blaeberry · European Blueberry · Whortleberry

Family EricaceaeGenus Vaccinium

A low shrub of red-tinted leaves carrying round blue-black berries
FruitLinda LötjönenCC BY 4.0
A plate of a twiggy shrub with small oval leaves, dark blue berries and pink urn flowers, with a cut flower, a seed and a creeping root drawn beside it.
IllustrationAmédée MasclefPublic domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Shrub, SubshrubPLANTS Database
Flower
Pink, cream, greenish whiteFlora of North America
Native range
Albania, Alberta, Algeria, Altay, Amur, Arizona and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • The berries stain hands, teeth and tongue deep blue or purple, and were used in Britain to dye food and clothes. Myrtillus refers to leaves like those of myrtle. Wikipedia: Vaccinium myrtillus

This source reports 7 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

90% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84Public domain
Show the original text
Vaccinium (Ericaceae). With fresh seed light promotes germination but is not essential. The effect of light was eliminated by DS for 6 m in V. myrtillus (fresh seed) germ. 70L(90% in 3rd w), 70 GA-3(83% in 1-3 w), 70D(5%), 40-70L(86% in 2-5 w), and 40-70D(16% in 2-5 w). DS for 6 m reduces the effect of light, and the DS seed germ. 70L(85% in 2-8 w) and 70D(56% in 2-7 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 1, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 35 days.

86% germination in 14–35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84Public domain
Show the original text
Vaccinium (Ericaceae). With fresh seed light promotes germination but is not essential. The effect of light was eliminated by DS for 6 m in V. myrtillus (fresh seed) germ. 70L(90% in 3rd w), 70 GA-3(83% in 1-3 w), 70D(5%), 40-70L(86% in 2-5 w), and 40-70D(16% in 2-5 w). DS for 6 m reduces the effect of light, and the DS seed germ. 70L(85% in 2-8 w) and 70D(56% in 2-7 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around August 13, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on August 12, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 56 days to germinate.

85% germination in 14–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84Public domain
Show the original text
Vaccinium (Ericaceae). With fresh seed light promotes germination but is not essential. The effect of light was eliminated by DS for 6 m in V. myrtillus (fresh seed) germ. 70L(90% in 3rd w), 70 GA-3(83% in 1-3 w), 70D(5%), 40-70L(86% in 2-5 w), and 40-70D(16% in 2-5 w). DS for 6 m reduces the effect of light, and the DS seed germ. 70L(85% in 2-8 w) and 70D(56% in 2-7 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

83% germination in 7–21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84Public domain
Show the original text
Vaccinium (Ericaceae). With fresh seed light promotes germination but is not essential. The effect of light was eliminated by DS for 6 m in V. myrtillus (fresh seed) germ. 70L(90% in 3rd w), 70 GA-3(83% in 1-3 w), 70D(5%), 40-70L(86% in 2-5 w), and 40-70D(16% in 2-5 w). DS for 6 m reduces the effect of light, and the DS seed germ. 70L(85% in 2-8 w) and 70D(56% in 2-7 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around August 20, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on August 19, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 49 days to germinate.

56% germination in 14–49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84Public domain
Show the original text
Vaccinium (Ericaceae). With fresh seed light promotes germination but is not essential. The effect of light was eliminated by DS for 6 m in V. myrtillus (fresh seed) germ. 70L(90% in 3rd w), 70 GA-3(83% in 1-3 w), 70D(5%), 40-70L(86% in 2-5 w), and 40-70D(16% in 2-5 w). DS for 6 m reduces the effect of light, and the DS seed germ. 70L(85% in 2-8 w) and 70D(56% in 2-7 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 6

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 1, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 35 days.

16% germination in 14–35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84Public domain
Show the original text
Vaccinium (Ericaceae). With fresh seed light promotes germination but is not essential. The effect of light was eliminated by DS for 6 m in V. myrtillus (fresh seed) germ. 70L(90% in 3rd w), 70 GA-3(83% in 1-3 w), 70D(5%), 40-70L(86% in 2-5 w), and 40-70D(16% in 2-5 w). DS for 6 m reduces the effect of light, and the DS seed germ. 70L(85% in 2-8 w) and 70D(56% in 2-7 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 7

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

5% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84Public domain
Show the original text
Vaccinium (Ericaceae). With fresh seed light promotes germination but is not essential. The effect of light was eliminated by DS for 6 m in V. myrtillus (fresh seed) germ. 70L(90% in 3rd w), 70 GA-3(83% in 1-3 w), 70D(5%), 40-70L(86% in 2-5 w), and 40-70D(16% in 2-5 w). DS for 6 m reduces the effect of light, and the DS seed germ. 70L(85% in 2-8 w) and 70D(56% in 2-7 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Vaccinium p. 84. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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