Note from the Author: New wild plant!
Common Name: Deerberry
Other Common Names: Tall Deerberry, Highbush Huckleberry, Buckberry, Southern Gooseberry
Botanical Family: Ericeae (The Heather Family)
Botanical Latin Name: Vaccinium stamineum
Description & Habitat:
Deerberry is a deciduous shrub that can be found in all parts of North Carolina and is related to the cultivated types of Blueberries you buy at the store. The ovate shaped leaves of this plant are borne in an alternate arrangement and its five-petaled white flowers typically hang on the plant facing roughly towards the ground. With both age and ideal growing conditions Deerberry bushes can grow to a height of fifteen feet however it is more common that you will find specimens that are less than five feet tall. The specimens photographed were perhaps two or three feet tall and growing in noticeably poor soil. The primary method of reproduction for this plant is through runners which expand the size of individual colonies of this plant. The berries this plant produces are purple colored and roughly pear shaped and the berries ripen in late summer. You can find this plant in oak-hickory woodlands in areas with full sun or partial shade and acidic soil. Deerberry supports several native pollinators as well as a wide range of wildlife including Deer which have been observed to eat the berries.
Special Toxicity Note:
No known toxicity.
When & What to Harvest:
The berries are what you want here, and they are ripe roughly in late summer.
Related Plants:
Rabbiteye Blueberry (V. virgatum), Highbush Blueberry (V. corymbosum), Lowbush Blueberry (V. angustifolium), Cranberry (V. macrocarpon).
Recipe:
Generally speaking the recipes for this one only seem to be on Facebook and I’d take those with a large grain of salt. Most sources agree it’s good for use in jellies, jams and cobbler type pies.
Additional Information: (If applicable)
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/vaccinium-stamineum/
Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:
I could not find any reputable seed company selling the seeds or plants for this one.
With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog. In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.
Spring Plants
Pepper, Ghost (hot!!, 1-1.2 million SHU)
Pepper, Carolina Reaper (hot!!! 1.5-2.2 million SHU)
Tomato, Cherokee Purple (last tomatoes of 2026)
Herbs
Basil, Sweet Genovese
Oregano
Sage, Common
Thyme, English
Summer Plants
Amaranth, tricolor
Anise-Hyssop, Arizona Sandstone
Balloon Flower
Black Eyed Susan, Denver Daisy
Calibrachoa, Caliburst
Coneflower, Pow Wow White
Cotton, Nankeen
Dahlia, Figaro Mix
Pumpkin, Blue
Tobacco Flower, Saratoga Purple Bicolor
Garden Supply
Live Mushroom Compost, 1 Gallon
Live Mushroom Compost, 3 Gallon
Plants Coming Soon:
Spineless Prickly Pear (available on 6-20-2026)
-Others TBA-
How to stay in Contact with Us!
All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.
Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville
Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:
The Videos: Look Here
>Newest videos (1): Scarlet Bee Balm
With all of the updates, blog posts, community announcements and the main topic handled remember that Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’s meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is June 6th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, or at North South Brewing on the same day between 1:00 and 5:00pm.
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