This spring I bought a small greenhouse. When looking through various seed catalogs for things to fill my new trays up with, I discovered what I thought were the same thing as domesticated blueberries. So I bought a packet of seed, along with many other more familiar vegetable varieties, and filled the base and shelves with much anxiety and anticipation for what all I could grow in this new structure. I think every one of the garden huckleberry seed germinated and soon I had 6" plants that were ready to be set out after the last frost expectation. We had a good early spring and the plants flourished. So, I ended up with a row of about 40 beautiful plants along the side of my garden. I did not pay much attention to them until we got few good rains, and I guess the extra moisture just amplified the growth. Now the plants are about 4 feet wide and 5 to 6 feet tall with multitudes of big black berries. Many turned a deep purple to black and at that point I thought hey had matured enough to eat. So I popped one in my mouth anticipating a great blueberry type experience, but I was sadly disappointed and spit the thing out. This is when I started researching. It didn't take long to discover that what I had planted was not at all what I thought they were. But, I gathered about a quart, or so, and began looking at recipes. A garden huckleberry crumb cake looked appetizing. I was wrong again. The only thing good about it was the sugar ridden pastry that it was bottomed and crusted with. the center (where the berries were) tasteless even after cooking the crust to a golden brown, and following the recipe exactly. The bottom line, if you have this crap, dig it up or bury it. Do not let animals near it because it is not certain about toxicity in whatever variety you have. And never, ever, consider having any more of it. The fancy varied variety names might be the most intriguing ting about this shit show.
Big Jim Palmyra, VA.
