Native Plant of the Day!

The Thunderbird is a mythical creature of Native American stories whose wings are so large it creates thunder with every beat of its wings.  It evokes powerful imagery and this commanding animal creates a well-deserved link between bird and plant in the Vaccinium ovatum, or Evergreen huckleberry.  In British Columbia, this flowering shrub is known as the Thunderbird, a fitting name.  The Thunderbird is a medium-sized evergreen shrub which produces large black berries, up to a centimeter in diameter.  Historically, Native American tribes would harvest the berries along the Pacific Coast, but birds also make good use of the plenty.  The berries provide food and the actual bush also makes great nesting site for bush-nesting birds.

The Thunderbird has a long and rich history among both humans and birds and, as an important piece of British Columbia history, is a perfect addition to your native garden to pay homage to the integral role that birds play in our lives.