Vaccinium uliginosum

Vaccinium uliginosum (Japanese name: Kuromamenoki, meaning "black bean tree") is a (sub)alpine deciduous shrub of the family Ericaceae, genus Vaccinium, native to cold and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including Japan.
It is also known by another name, Asamabudō ("Asama grape").

It grows wild in clusters in rocky and barren grasslands of subalpine to alpine zones, from Hokkaido to the Chūbu region of Honshu in Japan.

The plant grows to a height of 15–50 cm.
Its leaves are obovate, 1–3 cm in length, arranged alternately, with blue-green upper surfaces and yellow-green undersides.
In May to June, it produces 1 to 3 white to pale pink, urn-shaped flowers at the tips of the previous year's branches.
The flowers are 0.6 cm long, with shallowly 5-lobed tips and 10 stamens.

In September, it bears globose to ellipsoid berries about 0.9 cm in diameter, which are dark purple-black with a whitish bloom.
The fruit is edible and consumed raw or processed into jam, fruit wine, candied fruit, or juice.

Language of Flowers
“Flower of compassion,” “Love,” “Memory”

Common Name: Kuromamenoki (Black Bean Tree)
Scientific Name: Vaccinium uliginosum
Other Name: Asamabudō (Asama Grape)
Classification: Plantae – Angiosperms – Eudicots – Ericales – Ericaceae – Vaccinium – Vaccinium uliginosum
Native Range: Cold and subarctic zones of the Northern Hemisphere, including Japan
Habitat Distribution: From Hokkaido to the Chūbu region of Honshu
Habitat: Rocky and barren grasslands in subalpine to alpine zones
Life Form: (Sub)alpine deciduous shrub
Plant Height: 15–50 cm
Leaf Color: Upper surface: blue-green; Underside: yellow-green
Leaf Shape: Obovate
Leaf Size: 1–3 cm
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Flowering Period: May–June
Flower Color: White to pale pink
Flower Shape: Urn-shaped
Number of Flowers per Cluster: 1–3
Flower Position: Tip of previous year’s branches
Flower Size: 0.6 cm; shallowly 5-lobed
Number of Stamens: 10
Fruiting Period: September
Fruit Type: Berry
Fruit Shape: Globose to ellipsoid
Fruit Diameter: About 0.9 cm
Fruit Color: Purple-black with whitish bloom
Edibility: Edible
Uses: Eaten raw, or processed into jam, fruit wine, candied fruit, juice

Related page
Kuromamenoki (Vaccinium uliginosum)
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