Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 8383191

Grouse Whortleberry

Vaccinium scoparium

Also known as Grouseberry, Littleleaf Huckleberry, Broom Huckleberry

Grouse whortleberries form dense, bright green carpets across western subalpine forest floors. The distinctive, broom-like stems remain vividly green year-round, photosynthesizing beneath winter snow and protecting delicate mountain soils from erosion. In late summer, tiny pink flowers yield small bright red berries that serve as vital autumn forage for mountain game birds and mammals.

SubalpineGroundcoverBerries
Grouse Whortleberry reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic
Predators
  • Dusky Grouse
  • American Black Bear
  • Mule Deer
ThreatsSevere wildfire, climate change, habitat loss
HabitatsSubalpine lodgepole pine forests, coniferous woodlands, alpine slopes
Life spanPerennial (20+ years)
Classification
  1. OrderEricales
  2. FamilyEricaceae
  3. GenusVaccinium
  4. SpeciesVaccinium scoparium
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild berries have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Stem Inspection: Look for bright green, sharply angled, broom-like branches forming dense mats.
  • Habitat Spotting: Search high-elevation lodgepole pine and spruce-fir forests in western mountains.
  • Seasonal Timing: Watch for tiny pink urn-shaped flowers in June and bright red fruit by late summer.
Related species
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