Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California.

Habitat: Coniferous forests at low elevations.

Flowers: April-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees

Evergreen, spreading to upright shrub, 0.5-4 m. tall, the young stems pubescent.

Leaves alternate, aligned horizontally along the stem, short-petiolate, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, leathery, bright gloss-green on the upper surface, lighter beneath, the margins thickened and sharply serrulate.

Flowers axillary in 3- to 10-flowered racemes; corolla entire, bright pinkish, narrowly bell-shaped, about 7.5 mm. long, the 5 lobes short and spreading; filaments densely pubescent; anthers with long, straight pore-bearing tubes but without awns; ovary inferior.

Fruit a berry, deep purplish-black, 4-7 mm. broad, glaucous or shining.

Our only Vaccinium species with leathery, evergreen leaves and flowers in recemes.