Overview
Low alpine blueberry shrub with rounded leaves and edible bluish berries, hugging windy mountaintops.
Ecology
An alpine tundra specialist that withstands intense sun, wind, and cold. It often roots in shallow gravelly peat or sheltered pockets near rocks, tolerating both moist boggy spots and dry ledges. Uniquely, this species can accumulate heavy metals in its leaves from mineral-rich soils and has even been studied as an indicator of uranium-rich geology. Its berries feed alpine wildlife (birds like grouse and mammals such as voles), and its low, dense form offers shelter for tiny creatures. In winter it may be insulated by snowpack. As one of the few berry-producing plants at high elevation, it plays a key role in the food web above treeline.