Description
Vaccinium corymbosum
CT RG P E EcoR
Soil: Acidic, Rich, Well-drained
Moisture: Average to Wet
Light: Full to Part Sun (full sun preferred)
Plant Height: 6 to 12 feet
Plant Width: 8 to 12 feet
Pests: Infrequent but potentially stem blight, root rot, anthracnose, and mildew
Landscape Value: Great as an ornamental and for fruit production. Good in shrub borders, rain gardens, open woodlands, pollinator gardens, naturalized areas, and along sandy pond and stream margins. Good planted with other acid-loving plants, like azaleas, rhododendrons, and hollies. Can be grouped and pruned to form a hedge. Vibrant red fall color makes it a great alternative to the invasive burning bush.
This is the wild type of high-bush blueberry which produces abundant berries for wildlife and people too. Upright, deciduous shrub with a dense crown, somewhat shredded gray-brown bark, and green, to often red, twigs. Reddish-green spring leaves turn a glossy, dark green in summer and brilliant red, orange and purple in the fall. Loose, terminal clusters of white to pale pink, pendulous, urn-shaped flowers bloom in the spring. Flowers give way to dark blue to purple berries covered with a dull, blue-grey bloom. Shallow, fibrous roots need consistent moisture and good drainage. Plants benefit from mulching. Chlorosis (yellowing of leaves while veins remain green) is common if soils are not sufficiently acidic. The ideal pH is 4.5 to 5.5. Plants are self-fertile but cross pollination produces a better crop, so best to plant more than one shrub. Remove flowers in the year of planting and the following year to prevent fruiting and encourage vegetative growth. Shrubs can be pruned in late winter in the third year after planting. Plants have high wildlife food value. Flowers attract large numbers of native bees, especially bumblebees. Fruits are an important summer and early fall food source for songbirds, gamebirds, turtles, and many mammals. Twigs and leaves may be browsed by rabbits and deer. Tolerates drought and extended periods of flooding. Does not tolerate shade. Fruits are edible and sweet.
1 gallon pot
Photo credits:
Lake Forest College (https://www.lakeforest.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/env ironmental-studies)
Native Plant Trust (photos by Donna Kausen and John Lynch)
UCONN Plant Database (https://plantdatabase.uconn.edu/detail.php?pid=517)
