Is this a huckleberry or something nasty?

I saw these plants with what I think are huckleberries out at Harris Beach and at the rest area across from Harris Beach. Others have said they are not and are dangerous to eat. I would like help identifying them. The names I know are the evergreen, winter or California Huckleberry.

Hello, and thanks for your question. That is indeed what we call an evergreen huckleberry, and those berries are edible. This is a good article and description provided by the Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound: Evergreen Huckleberry. The trick with finding these often has more to do with beating the birds and bears to them!

Canned peppers in glass jar (photo Lynn Ketchum)

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