State Berry Huckelberry

Updated: February 2, 2026

Montana has a wide variety of berries: huckleberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries, but only one official state fruit. The huckleberry became Montana's state fruit in 2023, thanks to the dedicated efforts of students at Vaughn Elementary School. The designation was made official by House Bill 880, which names the huckleberry, Vaccinium membranaceum, as the state fruit and was signed into law by Governor Greg Gianforte.

"Whether you like them in jam, pancakes, or picked fresh off the bush, huckleberries are a Montana staple," Governor Gianforte said in a news release announcing the new state symbol. The signing ceremony took place in the Vaughn Elementary School gym, with students, parents, and teachers in attendance.

Earlier in the 2023 legislative session, students at Vaughn Elementary School in Cascade County worked with Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, R-Great Falls, to bring House Bill 880 before the legislature. The fourth-grade class testified on the bill before the Montana House of Representatives, and the fifth-grade class testified before the Montana Senate. "You might like Flathead cherries but they aren't native to Montana. I think you definitely should sign the bill," said one fourth-grade student, arguing that wild huckleberries better represent the state's landscapes. Another student told the governor about her time at the State Capitol: "We got to present the bill and it passed and we got to watch them do Executive Action."

Rep. Sheldon-Galloway, who grew up in Vaughn, celebrated the students' hard work and civic involvement. "It is an honor to have the school represented today, my alma mater, and it's been great to see all their hard work," she said at the ceremony. The experience has been highlighted in state news as an example of how young Montanans can participate directly in making laws and creating new state symbols.

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Updated: February 2, 2026