Scientific name: Vaccinium corymbosum
Family: ERICACEAE
Common names: “Blueberry” “high-bush blueberry” “swamp blueberry”
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Conditions:
Zone: 3-8
Light: Full sun – partial shade
Exposure: Sheltered
Soil: Acidic soil between 4.8 & 5.2 pH, organically rich
Moisture: Moist well drained
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 6″-12′ W
Leaf and Stem shape: Slightly leathery dark green leaves, sometimes with sharply toothed margins
Flower: Corymbs of lantern-like flowers with white or pink petals
Pruning: Prune after fruiting in winter or early spring, prune out wood older than 5 years in favour of 1-2 year shoots for increased yield
Maintenance: Low – medium, best to remove flowers from plants in the year of planting and in the following year so as to prevent fruit set and to encourage new vegetative growth
Landscape use: Farm, edible ornamental mixed bed, woodland garden, hedge
Propagate: By seed, cuttings, division of suckers
Pests & Disease: Infrequent disease problems include stem blight, root rot, anthracnose, cane cankers, mildew and botrytis.
Attracts birds and butterflies
Comments: Native to Eastern North America, large edible blueberries, used to make pies, muffins, jams and syrups, they are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, shrubs can be used nicely in ornamental gardens combined with rhododendrons and azaleas, although blueberries are self-fertile, cross-pollination produces the best fruit crop (larger berries and larger yields), if grown for fruit production, there are many excellent cultivars which should be considered rather than the straight species
