Field ManualAll plants

Photo: B.navez, via Wikimedia CommonsLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0

Bilberry

Vaccinium myrtillus

  • Wild-picked
  • Rarely cultivated

Pet & Human Safety

People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
Human edibility
Edible
Edible parts
ripe berries
Hazardous parts
Not yet checked.
Preparation
Not yet checked.
Hazard type
Not yet checked.
Hazard route
none listed
How complete this information is
The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets
No ASPCA entry found.

No source we checked assesses this plant for pets, so the app makes no pet claim either way.

Look-alike warning
Could be mistaken for Plants that share its name. To tell them apart: NordGen distinguishes it from the cultivated blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)..

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Care

Hardiness zones

Not checked yet

Mature size

NordGen: up to 40 cm tall.

Family

Ericaceae (heath family)

Where it comes from

NordGen: mostly Northern Europe; also parts of Asia and North America.

Soil & Drainage
Pruning & Flush Rhythm
Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

Get the app: coming soon

Anatomy & Guilds

Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics

How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Field Doctor

Field Doctor

What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Vintage Plates

Vintage Plates

Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Sources

  1. NordGen, Bilberry or European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.)
  2. Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), names file dated 2026-06-04

How we choose sources

Wishlists live in the app

Wishlists are part of the Plot & Petal app, which is coming soon. Nothing is added to a wishlist from this page.

Get the app: coming soon