Three Acre Tablea garden, a kitchen, a good excuse to gather
Vaccinium corymbosum
Plate — illustration to come
Native · New Jersey

Highbush Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

Shrub

The native fruit that put New Jersey on the map. White bell-shaped flowers in April and May, glaucous blue berries in mid-summer, brilliant red-orange foliage in fall — a shrub that pulls its weight in every season.

At a glance

The spec sheet.

Habitat
Acidic wetlands, bog edges, Pine Barrens; the 'Jersey' cultivar was bred in NJ
Bloom time
April – May
Sun
Full sun to part sun
Soil
Acidic (pH 4.5–5.5), rich in organic matter
Moisture
Moist, well-drained; hates dry soil
Height
6–12 feet
For the wildlife

What it attracts.

The species that visit, feed on, or depend on this plant — and how they use it.

  • Southeastern blueberry bee

    Nectar source

    Habropoda laboriosa — a specialist that vibrates flowers to shake pollen loose

  • Bumblebees & solitary native bees

    Nectar source

  • Songbirds

    Fruit / seed source

    Cedar waxwings, catbirds, robins, thrushes, cardinals — strip fruit fast

  • Bears, foxes, small mammals

    Fruit / seed source

    Wild turkey and many mammals feed on fruit

Notes on growing

Needs acidic soil — amend with sulfur and pine-needle mulch. Plant at least two cultivars for cross-pollination and better yield. Prune old canes to the ground every few years to keep production high.

Sources

Rutgers NJAES · Xerces Society · Jersey-Friendly Yards

Blooms with

Other natives in bloom now.