Maybe this link will stay available longer than one to the Vancouver Sun, where Brian Minter's article "High antioxidant plants can thrive in our climate" appeared on January 30, 2021. He mentions cranberries, lingonberries and huckleberries. Brian Minter: High antioxidant plants can thrive in our climate (msn.com)
In the article, Brian Minter mentions "a huckleberry variety called ‘Thunderbird’ [that] is the product of a former plant introduction program from the University of British Columbia." I wrote this post in the forums almost 2 years ago: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Your mention of Genista pilosa 'Vancouver Gold' reminded me of the plant introduction program at the UBC Botanical Gardens in the 1980s. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Vancouver Jade' and Rubus calycinoides 'Emerald Carpet' also originated there. I would like to read more about the program but can't find much online . I remember Wilf Nicholls was involved. What I did find was on this forum. If anyone can tell me where to read more about the UBC Botanical Garden plant introduction program, please let me know. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I still think that was a brilliant concept and regret that it did not continue. I'm sure it was an expensive business. Wilf Nicholls left UBC for Memorial University in Newfoundland of course . . . I remember being at a lecture he gave where he described scouring the province looking for superior examples of various native plants and then growing them at the university until the best of the best could be isolated and propagated for commercial sales. The Vaccinium ovatum 'Thunderbird' Brian mentioned would have originated that way. Nicholls named new director of State Botanical Garden - UGA Today
