{"assessment":{"band":"Keystone","factor_identity":{"basis":"approved shared identity","growth_habit_source":"USDA PLANTS","name_used":"Vaccinium virgatum"},"factor_scopes":{"bees":"Southeastern North America","birds":"North America","caterpillars":"Host genera of native Lepidoptera with established South Carolina range; association and range overlap, not confirmed local feeding.","specialists":"Eastern North America","structure":"USDA species growth habit where matched; otherwise sourced atlas growth habit"},"factors":{"applied_insect_credit":0,"baseline_score":98,"composite":0.96,"insect_support":{"credit":0,"groups":{"ants":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Ants","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"beetles":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Beetles","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"flies":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Flies","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"moths_butterflies":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Adult butterflies / moths","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"other_hymenoptera":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Other wasps","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"other_insects":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Other insects","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"}},"interpretation":"One provisional point per additional documented insect group, capped at five. Flower visits are a resource-use proxy, not confirmed feeding or pollination. Missing evidence is unknown. Study volume and repeated records earn no extra credit.","maximum_credit":5,"version":"insect-support-1"},"pct":{"bees":0.9826302729528535,"birds":0.9720843672456576,"caterpillars":0.988833746898263,"specialists":0.9733250620347395,"structure":0.75},"rank_pct":0.988,"raw":{"bees":52,"birds":22,"caterpillars":192,"genus_used":null,"specialists":8,"structure":["Shrub"]}},"fit_score":null,"native_basis":"native_inferred","rarity_adjustment":0,"rarity_policy":"Conservation status is displayed separately and never changes ecological scores, including when unranked.","reason":"Calculated with the shared rules using South Carolina host-range and shared ecological evidence.","reference":"NC native reference cohort, method 0.6.4; not a South Carolina percentile","score":98,"scoring_inputs":{"harm_penalty":0,"invasive":false,"invasive_rank":null,"native":true,"state_rank":""},"source_ids":["lep_sc","globi","bigbee","avian","usdahabit","robertson","antseed"],"status":"scored_provisional","version":"shared-0.6.5"},"condition_evidence":{"light":{"evidence_id":"fact:790dcf1f595a2e89a3905cd771644c90576ee861eeb8cf84adac7a32ca56b8fd","levels":[2,3,4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[2,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_light_categories","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","status":"mapped_selected_fact"},"moisture":{"evidence_id":"fact:da37edd861575a267bad55792cc0c067a42652292a06821a789dc479c143204b","levels":[0,3,4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[0,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_moisture_categories","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","status":"mapped_selected_fact"}},"evidence":{"fit_score":null,"growth_habit":["Shrub"],"invasive_status":{"status":"unresolved"},"native_status":{"status":"native_inferred"},"occurrence":{"county_fips":["45003","45009","45011","45013","45015","45017","45019","45027","45029","45035","45051","45053","45075","45085","45089"],"meaning":"Recorded occurrence; 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county records not used","light":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","moisture":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)"},"fit_record":{"band":"Keystone","condition_evidence":{"light":{"evidence_id":"fact:790dcf1f595a2e89a3905cd771644c90576ee861eeb8cf84adac7a32ca56b8fd","levels":[2,3,4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[2,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_light_categories","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","status":"mapped_selected_fact"},"moisture":{"evidence_id":"fact:da37edd861575a267bad55792cc0c067a42652292a06821a789dc479c143204b","levels":[0,3,4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[0,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_moisture_categories","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","status":"mapped_selected_fact"}},"county_fips":["13017","13091","13101","13179","13191","13303","45003","45009","45011","45013","45015","45017","45019","45027","45029","45035","45051","45053","45075","45085","45089"],"fit_inputs":{"light":[2,4],"moisture":[0,4],"ph":null},"fit_note":"Shared sunlight, moisture and pH calculation; county geography is an additional layer. Missing source traits remain unknown.","fit_provenance":{"counties":"USDA lumps this with Vaccinium ashei; county records not used","light":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","moisture":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)"},"garden_suitability":{"default_excluded":false,"flags":[],"review_status":"not_assessed"},"invasive_rank":false,"native_eligible":true,"quercus_score":98,"state":"SC"},"garden_suitability":{"default_excluded":false,"flags":[],"review_status":"not_assessed"},"growing_observations":{"floraquest_carolinas_georgia":{"matched_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","retrieved":"2026-10-04T13:31:16.252589+00:00","scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"scope_note":"Original regional ecological and identification evidence; no location-specific gardening adjustments.","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","source_record_id":4731,"source_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","trait_evidence":[{"field":"habitat_description","source_column":"HabitatText","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Pocosins and Chamaecyparis swamps, also in various drier habitats, including turkey oak sandhills."},{"field":"geographic_range_description","source_column":"Description","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":"A Southeastern Coastal Plain species, V. virgatum occurs from se. North Carolina south to Florida and west to e. Texas."},{"field":"phenology_source_text","source_column":"Phenology","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Mar-Apr; May-Jun."},{"field":"taxonomic_synonymy","source_column":"Synonymy","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":"[= NS, POWO, S13, Camp (1945), Fritsch, Crowl, & Manos (2024); = Cyanococcus amoenus (Aiton) Small — S; = Vaccinium amoenum W. Aiton — RAB; > Vaccinium amoenum W. Aiton — Tx, Camp (1945); Vaccinium corymbosum L. — FNA8, K4, WH3, Luteyn et al (1996), Vander Kloet (1988); Vaccinium virgatum W. Aiton — Ar, GW2, K1, Redpath et al (2022); > Vaccinium virgatum W. Aiton — Tx]"},{"field":"botanical_comments","source_column":"Comments","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":"See Fritsch, Crowl, & Manos (2024) for a detailed discussion of this species. Vaccinium virgatum is a hexaploid species, 6x=72 (Redpath et al. 2022)."},{"field":"identification_notes","source_column":"IdentificationNotes","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Uttal (1989) commented: \"In a notoriously difficult genus, Vaccinium virgatum is a snap to identify because its oval shiny leaves are serrate and bear on their undersurface blackish glands similar to those borne by its dwarf relative V. tenellum . Vaccinium virgatum is much grosser in dimensions than V. tenellum . Both are rhizomatous and often grow together, but are easily distinguished. The corollas of Vaccinium virgatum are narrowly cylindro-urceolate, up to 12 mm long, white, or often deep pink and showy. The fruit is shiny to dull black, rarely glaucous and are usually insipid, but in certain plants they are sweet. The latter are sometimes found on a glabrescent, firm-leaved phase found in the lower Savannah River basin.\""},{"field":"heliophily_index","source_column":"HIndex","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":7},{"field":"regional_wetland_indicators","source_column":"WetlandStatus1..5","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":[{"source_column":"WetlandStatus1","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus2","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus3","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus5","value":"FACW"}]},{"field":"wetland_source_note","source_column":"WetlandNote","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"Organism","value":"taxonomic split from wetland indicator species"},{"field":"habitat_moisture_categories","source_column":"Attr2","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":["Dry","Moist","Wet"]},{"field":"habitat_light_categories","source_column":"Attr3","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":["Partial shade","Full sun"]},{"field":"graphic_key_source_attributes","source_column":"Attr0..25","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":4731,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":{"Attr0":"gr14","Attr1":"nc_cp,sc_cp,ga_cp,","Attr11":"pin","Attr12":"unl","Attr13":"nt,to","Attr14":"Bl14,Bl5,Bl9","Attr15":"wh","Attr16":"n","Attr17":"rad","Attr18":"5","Attr19":"pi,wh","Attr2":"Dry,Moist,Wet","Attr20":"y","Attr21":"F2","Attr3":"Part,Sun","Attr3a":"y","Attr3a_subregion":"native_nc_cp:y,native_sc_cp:y,native_ga_cp:y,","Attr4":" 2-5","Attr5":"s,t","Attr6":"n","Attr7":"n","Attr8":"alt","Attr9":"sim"}},{"field":"height_description","source_column":"Text","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_quote":"Plants 0.3-2.5 m tall; leaf blades chartaceous , lower surface green to pale green when fresh, stipitate glands usually moderately dense, trichomes 0.44-1.02 mm long; hypanthium without glaucescence ; fruits 4-11 mm in diameter","source_record_id":"Lead:115201","source_table":"Lead","value":"0.984252–8.2021 feet"}],"values":{"botanical_comments":"See Fritsch, Crowl, & Manos (2024) for a detailed discussion of this species. Vaccinium virgatum is a hexaploid species, 6x=72 (Redpath et al. 2022).","geographic_range_description":"A Southeastern Coastal Plain species, V. virgatum occurs from se. North Carolina south to Florida and west to e. Texas.","graphic_key_source_attributes":{"Attr0":"gr14","Attr1":"nc_cp,sc_cp,ga_cp,","Attr11":"pin","Attr12":"unl","Attr13":"nt,to","Attr14":"Bl14,Bl5,Bl9","Attr15":"wh","Attr16":"n","Attr17":"rad","Attr18":"5","Attr19":"pi,wh","Attr2":"Dry,Moist,Wet","Attr20":"y","Attr21":"F2","Attr3":"Part,Sun","Attr3a":"y","Attr3a_subregion":"native_nc_cp:y,native_sc_cp:y,native_ga_cp:y,","Attr4":" 2-5","Attr5":"s,t","Attr6":"n","Attr7":"n","Attr8":"alt","Attr9":"sim"},"habitat_description":"Pocosins and Chamaecyparis swamps, also in various drier habitats, including turkey oak sandhills.","habitat_light_categories":["Partial shade","Full sun"],"habitat_moisture_categories":["Dry","Moist","Wet"],"height_description":"0.984252–8.2021 feet","heliophily_index":7,"identification_notes":"Uttal (1989) commented: \"In a notoriously difficult genus, Vaccinium virgatum is a snap to identify because its oval shiny leaves are serrate and bear on their undersurface blackish glands similar to those borne by its dwarf relative V. tenellum . Vaccinium virgatum is much grosser in dimensions than V. tenellum . Both are rhizomatous and often grow together, but are easily distinguished. The corollas of Vaccinium virgatum are narrowly cylindro-urceolate, up to 12 mm long, white, or often deep pink and showy. The fruit is shiny to dull black, rarely glaucous and are usually insipid, but in certain plants they are sweet. The latter are sometimes found on a glabrescent, firm-leaved phase found in the lower Savannah River basin.\"","phenology_source_text":"Mar-Apr; May-Jun.","regional_wetland_indicators":[{"source_column":"WetlandStatus1","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus2","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus3","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus5","value":"FACW"}],"taxonomic_synonymy":"[= NS, POWO, S13, Camp (1945), Fritsch, Crowl, & Manos (2024); = Cyanococcus amoenus (Aiton) Small — S; = Vaccinium amoenum W. Aiton — RAB; > Vaccinium amoenum W. Aiton — Tx, Camp (1945); Vaccinium corymbosum L. — FNA8, K4, WH3, Luteyn et al (1996), Vander Kloet (1988); Vaccinium virgatum W. Aiton — Ar, GW2, K1, Redpath et al (2022); > Vaccinium virgatum W. Aiton — Tx]","wetland_source_note":"taxonomic split from wetland indicator species"}},"wildflower_center":{"matched_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","retrieved":"2026-10-03T19:06:11.682305+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Source-reported species characteristics; not a location-specific estimate.","source_label":"Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center","source_sha256":"5f0855a3fbb68d027e612817b33a2c2e3065c11dbe598d1fccf1059d8ac811fc","source_url":"https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VAVI2","trait_evidence":[{"expected_source_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","field":"flower_color","original_field":"flower_color","record_id":"trait:5ebcaf2dada6a6eb22be82f8d347612c1d87241584fe9581044b42e4cd092f41","retrieved_at":"2026-10-03T19:06:11.682305+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"wildflower","source_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","source_sha256":"5f0855a3fbb68d027e612817b33a2c2e3065c11dbe598d1fccf1059d8ac811fc","source_url":"https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VAVI2","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:c496a7f5-eacf-551a-80a3-5b39dc04d928","value":["White","Pink","Green"]},{"expected_source_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","field":"height_description","original_field":"height","record_id":"trait:6ce02b1f2a31de61c34875526b8605092dee0592705db819f6276bdf668144b8","retrieved_at":"2026-10-03T19:06:11.682305+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"wildflower","source_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","source_sha256":"5f0855a3fbb68d027e612817b33a2c2e3065c11dbe598d1fccf1059d8ac811fc","source_url":"https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VAVI2","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:c496a7f5-eacf-551a-80a3-5b39dc04d928","value":{"approximate":true,"kind":"upper_bound","max":15,"unit":"feet"}},{"expected_source_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","field":"life_cycle","original_field":"life_cycle","record_id":"trait:e8f1851e86a94b6e83a7a08d85479620ff73fd840dc921fd0f4b50d152a6a521","retrieved_at":"2026-10-03T19:06:11.682305+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"wildflower","source_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","source_sha256":"5f0855a3fbb68d027e612817b33a2c2e3065c11dbe598d1fccf1059d8ac811fc","source_url":"https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VAVI2","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:c496a7f5-eacf-551a-80a3-5b39dc04d928","value":["Perennial"]}],"values":{"flower_color":["White","Pink","Green"],"height_description":"Up to about 15 feet","life_cycle":["Perennial"]}}},"light_range":["part shade","full sun"],"light_source":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","native_synthesis":{"claims":[{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Vaccinium amoenum","scope":"NC","source":"nc_flora","url":"https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/flora/"},{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","scope":"L48","source":"usda","text":"L48:N","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/"},{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Vaccinium virgatum","scope":"NC","source":"nc_flora","url":"https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/flora/"}],"county_native_range":"unresolved","explanation":"Source scopes are preserved. State occurrence alone does not establish nativity; combined regional evidence is labeled estimated.","label":"Native to South Carolina (estimated from combined sources)","rule":"southeast-native-synthesis-1","status":"native_inferred"},"source_name":"Vaccinium amoenum","taxon_id":"taxon:c496a7f5-eacf-551a-80a3-5b39dc04d928","revision":"publish:5809c037-0e9a-430a-8008-5ab6f69800c0","photos":[]}