Red huckleberry

Description:

round, red smooth berries; oval deciduous leaves, shrub grows to about 10 feet tall

Habitat:

understory of Douglas fir, hemlock, spruce, alder forest

Notes:

These, in a normal year, begin to ripen in June. This year the ripening is almost 2 months late but looks like it will be heavier than I thought. They are more sour than sweet, and give a refreshing moment on a hike. They can also make good jam; maybe wine, too, but you could never gather enough: they are very very slow to pick.