About Gaylussacia baccata (Wangenh.) K.Koch
Gaylussacia baccata is a shrub that reaches up to 150 cm (5 feet) in height, and forms extensive colonies. Its flowers are bell-shaped, orange or red, and grow in dangling groups of 3 to 7. This species produces dark blue berries that are almost black; white berries are very rare. This plant is native to Eastern Canada, the Great Lakes region, the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, the Appalachian Mountains, the Ohio/Mississippi/Tennessee Valley, and the Southeastern United States. Its native range extends from Newfoundland west to Manitoba and Minnesota, and reaches as far south as Arkansas, Alabama, and Georgia. This shrub is classified as fire-resistant: its rhizomes survive fires and quickly grow new shoots afterward. It acts as a larval host plant for the brown elfin, Gordian sphinx, Henry's elfin, and huckleberry sphinx. The berries of Gaylussacia baccata are sweet and tasty. People eat the berries raw, make them into jelly, or bake them into pancakes, muffins, and many other food items.
