Dwarf bilberry

Dwarf bilberry

　　Also known as garden bilberry or ground bilberry. A member of the Ericaceae family, it is an evergreen dwarf shrub. It often grows in alpine tundra zones, with alternate simple leaves that are obovate in shape. The flowers usually grow in clusters of 1 to 3 at the tips of branches from the previous year or in leaf axils. The small, bell-shaped flowers are greenish-white; the berries are oval or somewhat spherical, blue-purple, and covered with a white bloom. Flowers bloom in June, and the berries ripen in July and August. The berries can be eaten raw, used for winemaking, or made into jam. The leaves are used in traditional medicine, known for their heat-clearing and astringent properties.