Vaccinium corymbosum

Plant Characteristics

Habit		shrub
Height:	⇕	3 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 3. to 6 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 6.
Width:	⇔	1.5 m"m" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 1.5.
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial
Origin:	✈	E United States

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	part-sun
Water:	◍	moist
Features:	✓	deciduous, edible, fruit, birds, wildlife
USDA Zones:		2 to 9.5

Scientific Names

Ericaceae >

Vaccinium >

corymbosum >

L. >

Northern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is a species of blueberry native to eastern North America.

It is a deciduous shrub growing to 4 m tall, often found in dense thickets. The dark glossy green leaves are elliptical and up to 5 cm long. In fall, the leaves change to a brilliant red. The flowers are white, bell-shaped, 10 mm long. The fruit is a dark blue to black berry. This plant grows best in wooded or open areas with moist acidic soils.

This plant is also the most common commercially-grown blueberry in North America. In the wild, it is enjoyed by birds, bears and small mammals.

Read about Vaccinium corymbosum in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Vaccinium corymbosum, Linn. High-bush Blueberry. Swamp Blueberry. A tall handsome bushy shrub, 4-12 ft. high, with yellowish green warty branchlets: lvs. large, 1 1/2 - 3 in. long, ovate-oblong to elliptical, acutish, glabrous, half grown at flowering time: corolla long-cylindrical, 1/4 – 1/2 in. long, white: berries blue-black, of excellent flavor. Moist woods or bogs.—Exceedingly variable, and many forms unite the several varieties. Apparently many natural hybrids occur between this and other species, rendering the taxonomy very difficult. V. corymbosum is one of the most valuable species both for fr. and as an ornamental shrub. It thrives in peaty acid soil. Var. amoenum, Gray (V. amoenum, Ait.?). A form with lvs. bristly ciliate or serrulate, bright green on both sides, shining above. "Mainly in the Middle Atlantic states." B.R. 400. B.M. 3433 (as V. corymbosum). Probably of hybrid origin. Var. pallidum, Gray (V. pallidum, Ait. V. albiflorum, Hook. V. Constablaei, Gray). A pale and glaucous or glaucescent form with or without some pubescence: plant generally low, 2-4 ft. high: lvs. ciliate-serrulate. Common in mountainous regions southward. B.M. 3428.—Probably a distinct species. Var. fuscatum, Gray (V. fuscatum, Ait.). A tall form with the mature entire lvs. fuscous-pubescent beneath: fls. virgate, somewhat spicate on the naked flowering twigs. In and about swamps, Ga. and Fla. to La. and Ark. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

More information about this species can be found on the genus page.

Gallery

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  Flowering

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  Ripe and unripe berries

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  Berry closeup

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  Leaves

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  Mature bush

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  Small bush with fruit

External links

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