11/14/2023
we try.
CELEBRATING NATIVE SHRUBS: Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is an upright, multi-stemmed, broad-spreading, deciduous shrub found from New England to Pennsylvania and in scattered locations as far west as Illinois and into the Southeast. It grows 6 to 12 feet tall in sun to part shade and rich, moist to wet, acidic soil. It has glossy, deep green foliage that turns brilliant red to purple in the fall. It is an important woody keystone plant, feeding the caterpillars of 234 Lepidoptera species.
Nodding clusters of urn-shaped white flowers bloom from April to June, attracting butterflies for nectar and a number of specialist bees in the genus Andrena for pollen. Although blueberry plants are self-fertile, cross-pollination between multiple shrubs produces the best fruit crop. Berries are dark blue to purple with a blue-gray bloom and draw many species of songbirds.
Highbush Blueberry is useful for ornamental purposes and well as for fruit production. It can be included in shrub borders, used as a hedge, or planted in combination with other acid-loving shrubs, such as rhododendrons and azaleas. Deer may occasionally severely damage this shrub, especially in the winter.
