Vaccinium | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Vaccinium berries (clockwise from top): Red huckleberries, cranberries, lingonberries and blueberries | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Ericaceae |
Subfamily: | Vaccinioideae |
Tribe: | Vaccinieae |
Genus: | Vaccinium L. |
Type species | |
Vaccinium uliginosum[1] | |
Synonyms[2] | |
|
Vaccinium /vækˈsɪniəm/[3] is a common and widespread genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The fruits of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry (whortleberry), lingonberry (cowberry), and huckleberry. Like many other heath plants, they are generally restricted to acidic soils.