Blueberry Plants

Info

Blueberries are flowering plants in the genus Vaccinium, sect. Cyanococcus. Vaccinium is the family of all blueberries and includes more than 450 plants. They are shrubs varying in size from 10 cm tall to 4 m tall. The leaves can be either deciduous or evergreen, ovate to lanceolate, and from 1-8 cm long and 0.5-3.5 cm broad. The flowers are bell-shaped, white, pale pink or red, sometimes tinged greenish.

For practical and commercial purposes, there are three different classifications of blueberries; lowbush, highbush, and rabbiteye. Lowbush are also called wild blueberries. Highbush are more hardy to the Northern regions while Rabbiteye tend to be more hardy to the Southern regions. Blueberries, especially wild species, contain anthocyanins, other antioxidant pigments and other phytochemicals which may have a role in reducing the risks of some diseases, including cancers.

The fruit is a false berry 5-16 mm diameter with a flared "crown" at the end; they are pale greenish at first, then reddish-purple, and finally indigo on ripening. They have a sweet taste when mature, with variable acidity. "Blueberry season" peaks in July, which is National Blueberry Month in the United States and Canada.

Varieties

  • Austin

    Early season rabbiteye. Moderately vigorous, productive, 4-6' upright bush. Medium to large, firm, blue berries. Good flavor. Excellent quality and good shelf life.

  • Blue Ridge

    Early-mid season lowbush. Ornamental shrub that grows 2-7' tall. Large, firm, excellent, light blue fruit. Very vigorous, upright, and productive. Profuse white blooms turn scarlet in the fall.

  • Bluecrop

    Mid season highbush. Standard of excellence. Open, medium-large clusters. Large to very large, firm, bright light blue berries. Exceptional fresh flavor. Vigorous upright bush. Golden yellow fall foliage.

  • Bluejay

    Mid season highbush. Open, loose clusters. Medium to large, firm, smooth, light blue fruit. Pleasantly mild flavor. Good dessert quality. Medium size, upright bush with yellow wood. Unusually vigorous. Light green leaves in summer lead to orange and yellow fall foliage.

  • Blueray

    Mid season highbush. Small, tight clusters. Large, medium blue fruit. Soft, firm skin resists cracking. Very sweet, aromatic flavor, excellent quality. Vigorous, slender, multicaned, very productive, 4-6’ bush. Stunning rosy pink flowers turn white in full bloom.

  • Brightwell

    Early mid season rabbiteye. Medium to large, sweet, light blue fruit. Richly flavored. Upright, vigorous, 8-12’ bush. Brilliant red fall color.

  • Brigitta

    Late season highbush. Loose clusters. Medium to large, light blue, firm berries. Vigorous, upright bush can grow up to 6' tall. Superior shelf life. White, bell-shaped flowers in the spring.

  • Climax

    Early season rabbiteye. Medium to large, sweet, medium dark, blue fruit. Upright, 6-10’ plant with a spreading, open growth habit. Berries tend to ripen uniformly.

  • Collins

    Mid season highbush. Long, rather tight, grape-like clusters. Vigorous, moderately spreading 4-6' bush. Medium to large, firm, light blue berry. Highly flavored. Exceptional fall color.

  • Duke

    Early season highbush. The most outstanding highbush early season variety in terms of fruit quality and taste. Medium size, firm, light blue berries. Good color and mild flavor. Vigorous, very productive, multicaned. Upright bush will reach 4-6”. Attractive orange and yellow fall color.

  • Elliott

    Very late season highbush. Small to medium, firm, light blue berries. Good, mild flavor when fully ripe. Vigorous, very upright, slightly spreading, 5-8’ bush. Beautiful deep red wine fall color.

  • Jersey

    Late season highbush. Long, loose clusters. Small to medium, juicy, light blue berries. Mild, fairly good flavor. Vigorous, fast growing, semi-upright bush, 5-7’ tall. Gorgeous orange flame fall color.

  • Jubilee

    Mid season highbush. USDA Mississippi release. A very dependable producing shrub, with an upright vigorous growth. Performs well, even in heavy soils. Medium to large, firm fruit has a light blue color and exceptional flavor. Striking yellow and wine fall colors.

  • Northland

    Early-mid season highbush. Long, loose clusters. Small, round, medium firm, dark blue berries. Wild blueberry flavor. Vigorous, moderately spreading, 3-4' bush. Extremely productive. Bright green leaves turn orange in the fall.

  • O'Neal

    Early season rabbiteye. Southern highbush. Large, attractive fruit. Hardy in warmer climates. Lovely grey-green summer foliage changes to gorgeous shades of red for fall.

  • Patriot

    Early season highbush. Tight clusters of large, slightly flat, medium blue berries. Above average flavor. Moderately upright, open, very vigorous, 4-6’ bush. Usually picked twice a year. Tolerates wet or dry clay soils well. Showy white blooms in the spring and fiery orange-red fall colors.

  • Premier

    Mid season rabbiteye. Large, light blue fruit. High quality. Vigorous, fairly upright, 6-10’ plants. Very productive. Bright green summer foliage makes the bush stand out.

  • Tifblue

    Mid season rabbiteye. Medium to large, firm, light powder blue fruit. Sweet and highly flavored. Good to excellent quality. Vigorous upright 8-14’ bush. Most cold hardy rabbiteye. Attractive tiny pink or white flowers lead to a striking fall color.

  • Tophat

    Mid season dwarf lowbush. Primarily ornamental with plentiful white blooms in spring. Medium – large, firm, sweet, bright, light blue berries that last for several weeks. Good flavor. Spherical bush matures to a height of 16-24” and 12-24” across. Perfect for growing in a container on the patio or indoors in a sunny window. Self-fruitful.

Care and Maintenance

  1. Selecting Varieties

    Blueberries bring a unique combination of delicious fruit and striking ornamental beauty to the garden and landscape. Blueberries are easy to grow, require little care, and are seldom bothered by pests. Blueberry varieties are distinguished by their climate suitability and ripening season. Be sure to choose varieties suited to your area. One of the most important growing requirements of blueberries is their need for cross-pollination in order to set fruit. You will need to plant more than one variety for cross-pollination. You should select varieties that ripen at different times to extend your harvest. Blueberry bushes produce brilliant fall colors which make them a great choice for landscaping.

  2. Site Selection and Planting

    Select a location with partial to full sun. Spacing should be no closer than 4-6 feet between plants. A fail safe way to grow blueberries in almost any soil is to incorporate peat moss into top soil. Dig a hole at least 2 times the width and the same depth of the plant container. Mix 75% peat moss to 25% top soil and set aside. Remove plant from container and lightly roughen up the outside surface of the root ball. Place plant in hole and fill with peat moss and top soil mixture and pack firmly. Surround your plant with 2-3 inches of mulch to conserve moisture, prevent weeds and add organic matter. Pine needles and pine bark work very well. Repeat mulching every other year.

  3. Watering and Fertilizing

    Water is one of the most important needs in establishing and maintaining productive blueberries. Water plants thoroughly at planting. Blueberries require about 1-2 inches of rain or irrigation per week. It is better to water plants for a longer time once or twice per week, rather than for a short time each day.

    You do not need to apply fertilizer at planting. In early spring, apply a fertilizer designed for acid-loving berry plants. Avoid using manures. It is important that your blueberry plants receive adequate moisture during fruit production, it is essential to producing plump, juicy berries.

  4. Harvesting

    Blueberries are easy to pick. Berries are ripe when they fall readily from the stems. Just because they are blue does not mean they are ripe. You will get use to testing your own berries. To freeze blueberries, spread them out and let the berries dry. Store in plastic containers or freezer bags. This keeps berries from sticking together. You can remove berries from freezer and wash them before using. You will have berries anytime you want to add to your favorite recipes.

  5. Pruning

    While blueberry plants need less pruning than many other fruit plants, pruning is still important. Prune blueberry plants to keep them producing new growth and large fruit. Blueberries produce fruit on the growth from the previous season (1-year-old wood). To keep plants vigorous and productive, prune in early spring to remove dead wood and low, spreading branches. When plants reach a mature size (8 to 10 years old), you will need to remove some of the old canes each year so they can be replaced with new growth.