Blueberry

Tree facts

Scientific name

Vaccinium spp.

Origin

North America (rabbiteye: southeastern US)

Tree size

Southern highbush 4–6 ft; rabbiteye 8–15 ft; northern highbush 5–7 ft

Growth rate

Medium

Sun

Full sun for the best crops; tolerates light shade

Soil

Acidic, well-drained, sandy soil rich in organic matter; pine bark mulch helps. They fail in alkaline or limestone soil.

Soil pH

4.0–5.5

Pollination

Plant at least two cultivars of the same type that bloom together; rabbiteyes need it most

Cold hardiness

Dormant plants are hardy (northern highbush well below 0°F); open flowers are killed near 28°F, the main risk to early southern highbush

USDA zones

Southern highbush 7–10a; rabbiteye 7–9; northern highbush 4–7

Years to first fruit

2–3

Season

Apr–Jul

Water

About every 4 days once established, without rain; more in heat, in pots and while young

Feeding

About every 60 days, Mar–Jun

Pruning

Jan–Feb

Taste

Sweet to sweet-tart, with a mild, floral flavor

Nutrition

Fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and anthocyanins

Is blueberry safe to eat? Edible and toxic parts

What you can eat

• Ripe berries, raw, cooked or frozen
• Dried berries

Toxic parts and cautions

• Good to know: Whole berries are a choking risk for babies and toddlers. Squash or halve them.

Pets: Safe for dogs and cats in small amounts, and a popular dog treat.

How to eat and enjoy blueberry

• Fresh, by the handful
• Muffins and pancakes
• Pie and cobbler
• Jam
• Frozen, in smoothies
• Blueberry sauce over ice cream or cheesecake

Blueberry varieties (12)

• Bluecrop

  The classic northern highbush blueberry: upright and reliable, with large, light blue berries.

  Origin: New Jersey, 1952 · Taste: Sweet-tart · Season: Jun–Jul · Size: Large

  Needs about 800 chill hours; not for Florida or the Deep South.

• Brightwell

  A dependable, heavy-bearing rabbiteye with medium-large berries that resist splitting in rain.

  Origin: Georgia, 1981 · Taste: Sweet · Season: Jun–Jul · Size: Medium to large

  About 350–400 chill hours. Plant with another rabbiteye, such as Powderblue or Tifblue.

• Emerald

  A vigorous, high-yielding southern highbush with very large, mild berries.

  Origin: Florida (UF) · Taste: Sweet, mild · Season: Apr–May · Size: Very large

  About 250 chill hours; for Central and North Florida.

• Farthing

  A southern highbush with very firm, crisp, sweet berries.

  Origin: Florida (UF) · Taste: Sweet, crisp · Season: Apr–May · Size: Medium to large

  About 300 chill hours.

• Jewel

  A southern highbush with large, firm berries and a tart-sweet flavor.

  Origin: Florida (UF) · Taste: Tart-sweet · Season: Apr–May · Size: Large

  About 200 chill hours.

• Misty

  A productive southern highbush with medium-large, light blue, sweet berries, often nearly evergreen in Florida.

  Origin: Florida (UF) · Taste: Sweet · Season: Apr–May · Size: Medium to large

  About 150–300 chill hours. Tends to overbear; prune and thin to keep plants healthy.

• Powderblue

  A late rabbiteye with light blue, sweet berries.

  Origin: North Carolina, 1978 · Taste: Sweet · Season: Jun–Jul · Size: Medium

  Pair with another rabbiteye such as Tifblue or Brightwell.

• Star

  An early southern highbush with large, firm, sweet berries that ripen in a short window.

  Origin: Florida (UF), 1990s · Taste: Sweet · Season: Apr–May · Size: Large

  About 400 chill hours; best in North Florida.

• Sunshine Blue

  A compact southern highbush with pink flowers and sweet, medium berries, popular for pots and small yards.

  Taste: Sweet, mild · Season: May–Jun · Size: Medium

  About 150 chill hours. Self-fertile and more tolerant of higher soil pH than most blueberries.

• Sweetcrisp

  A southern highbush with firm, crunchy, very sweet berries.

  Origin: Florida (UF) · Taste: Very sweet, crisp · Season: Apr–May · Size: Medium to large

• Tifblue

  The long-time standard rabbiteye: vigorous, upright and productive, with light blue, tart-sweet berries.

  Origin: Georgia, 1955 · Taste: Tart-sweet · Season: Jun–Jul · Size: Medium

  Needs roughly 500–700 chill hours; for North Florida and further north.

• Windsor

  A vigorous southern highbush with large, sweet berries.

  Origin: Florida (UF) · Taste: Sweet · Season: Apr–May · Size: Large

  About 500 chill hours; for North Florida and South Georgia.

Pests and diseases to watch for

• Phytophthora root rot

  Small, pale, wilting leaves, thin canopy and branch dieback; roots are black and brittle instead of white.

  What to do: Water less and improve drainage.

• Scale insects

  Small bumps, waxy or shell-like, on stems and leaf veins; sticky honeydew and black sooty mold below.

  What to do: Scrub small colonies off with a soft brush.

• Mealybugs

  White cottony clusters in leaf joints, under leaves and on fruit stems; honeydew and sooty mold.

  What to do: Blast off with a strong spray of water.

• Aphids

  Clusters of tiny soft insects on new shoots; leaves curl and get sticky.

  What to do: Spray off with water.

• Sooty mold

  Black, papery film on leaves and fruit that wipes off; it grows on honeydew.

  What to do: Control the insects making honeydew; the mold then weathers away.

• Spider mites

  Fine pale speckling on leaves, dusty undersides and fine webbing; leaves bronze and drop.

  What to do: Hose the undersides of leaves.