I've been trying to source a place in Canada that sells the European Bilberry, but have found none. There are many other edible fruit plants Ive also been unable to source out within Canada in the past. This makes it really frustrating as very few US nurseries will ship to Canada and go through Phytosanitary inspections. Anyone know of a place in Canada to buy Bilberry? I know of places in the US but thats it. The botanical supply market here is laughably inadequate.
I agree about the difficulty of sourcing plants in Canada, but this is a curious one. I was not quite sure what bilberry referred to. Wikipedia, says they are several species of Vaccinium that have been traditionally used in Europe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry So similar to the way we refer to blueberries or huckleberries. All of the species listed on the Wikipedia page are native, yes native to British Columbia. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=134285 All of these have been grown here at the Garden. I was looking through our collection for sources, but nothing commercial--all from collectors. The question here may be what is bilberry to you? Otherwise some of the native plant nurseries probably carry some of these species. I think they may sometimes be found in the native section of our Shop in the Garden.
Hi there, I know exactly what I want and have not found it. Its Latin name is Vaccinium myrtillus and is commonly used as a supplement for its high anti-oxidant efficacy. it is native to the German and Swiss regions of Europe. http://www.hartmannsplantcompany.com/plants_bluecold.htm I've also been trying to find Southern Blueberry cultivars (Vaccinium ashei), commonly known as Rabbiteye bushes but they have none of them in Canada. It is falsely believed they cant grow here, but I have one that is flourishing in my yard in Vancouver after importing it from a nursery in Georgia USA. The berries are as big as "rabbit eyes", hence the name. They range from South Carolina to Florida and grow about 15 feet high, taller than their Northern Highbush vaccinium corymbosum cousins. The nursery listed in link atop also has grandfather Blueberry varieties that were in commercial use in the 1920's, along with wild low bushes and high bushes. These are the cultivars that have not been tampered with through hybridization. I have some low bush VACCINIUM PENSYLVANICUM that they sell, also imported from the US. They're wild to the Great Lakes region which produce small berries like the VACCINIUM Angustifoliums. They are also flourishing and make a great groundcover, stifling the invasive buttercup grass on the side of my lawn.
There is one variety of Rabbiteye blueberry (according to some Websites) that is easy to get in Vancouver. It is called "Pink Lemonade" with fruit of that color. It is available at garden centers and big box stores all over the Vancouver area. I bought one to try it out; so I will soon find out if Rabbiteye blueberries will grow here.
Ive been trying to search online for info on Pink Lemonade...apparantly it might have some Ashei but Ive also seen it listed as a Highbush. It is not a plant I would get seeing it was developed through quite a bit of hybridization. I see it everwhere. If I want a pink berry, I'd get the native red Huckleberry or just go out in the forest and pick them as they are quite abundant here. Fact is some of the really cool non-commercialized plants are hard to come by in Canada. BTW You need an import permit plus its a 100$ for phytosanitation to get the plants from the US. LOL
I checked the Shop here. We do not have that now. I see Gardens North has seed for V. myrtillus. I bought one of the 'Pink Lemonade' last year. There was some fruit. I did not care too much for it--seemed bland. I figure they will look nice on the dessert plate though.
I would like to see what UBC Botanical shop has in stock. Do you guys have any wild BC berries like the Vaccinium uliginosum and Blue Elderberry? I know a nursery near Chilliwack that deals in West Coast wild plants called Hillkeep. They have a huge selection of west coast flora including the two aforementioned. I found a place that has my Bilberry Vaccinium Myrtillus seeds...will check Gardens North catalogue. On the Bilberry - the two prominent ones are the European and the Cascade. http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=VAMY2 http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=VADE
The only wild Vaccinium species I saw in the shop today was V. ovatum. Gardens North is a Canadian source for seed. You can find them online.
The seed shop I found was cheaper and has more variety, including many heirloom vegetables and fruits :D
You can get bilberry plants at Pacific Rim Native Nursery in Chilliwack. Their email is plants@hillkeep.ca I've just emailed them asking about buying them Jill
