A European species of blueberry. The shrub is approximately 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24 in.) high and grows wild in the
mountain areas of Europe and Asia. The plant has erect, branched stems; long, creeping rhizomes; alternate oval leaves; whitepinkish
flowers; and bluish, globose berries. This variety should not be confused with V. vitio idaea, leaves of which are used for
pharmaceutical purposes. The parts used are the berries and leaves. Whortleberry has a sweet, aromatic, sour, astringent flavor.
Annual use in Europe is 13,000 kg. Fruits of other species, V. macrocarpon Ait. (cranberry) and V. uliginosum L. (Bog bilberry), are
consumed as a foodstuff.
Whortleberry fruit contains flavonoids (including quercitrin, rutin, myrtillin, isoquercitrin, anthocyan pigments),
ursolic acid, coumaric acid, tannins (7%), volatile alcohols, terpene hydrocarbons and carbonyl compounds (CoE, 2000). The leaves
contain flavonoids (including quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, myrtillin, isoquercitrin, anthocyan pigments), vaccinin and neomyrtillin,
phenol glucosides, tannins, triterpenoids and alkaloids (CoE, 2000).
