Vaccinium scoparium Leiberg ex Coville

Plants forming extensive colonies, 0.7-2 dm, rhizomatous; twigs green, angled, glabrous; ultimate branches compact, often forming broomlike clumps or tufts. Leaf blades pale green abaxially, elliptic, lanceolate, or ovate-lanceolate, 7-11 × 4-6 mm, margins finely serrulate, surfaces glabrous. Flowers: calyx pale green, lobes vestigial, glabrous; corolla pink, globose to urceolate, 3-4 × 3-4 mm, thin, glaucous; filaments glabrous. Berries red, ± translucent, or bluish purple, 4-6 mm diam. Seeds ca. 1 mm.

Usually found at high elevations. Alpine and subalpine meadows, heaths, coniferous forests, talus slopes; at elevations from 700-3,000 metres.

The fruit are eaten raw with sugar and cream. They can be cooked into a sauce or made into jams, jellies, muffins, bread or pancakes. Fruit can be dried for later use. Fruit are used to flavour other foods and to thicken soups. Fresh or dried leaves can be used for tea.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings.