Creeping Blueberry is an evergreen shrub in the Ericaceae family native to only 4 states in the southeastern US. It can form a dense mat for an effective groundcover with 4 season interest. It prefers acidic well-drained sandy to loam soils. It cannot tolerate soils where lime is present. It grows naturally in the savannas, pine flat woods, and sandy areas. Clusters of pinkish, bell-shaped flowers appear along the stems in April. Giving it a showy appearance, new growth emerges bronze and turns to a dark green in summer. The leaves are thick and have a leathery feel. They are closely packed along the horizontal stems. Fruit in the form of berries form in the summer and are edible both raw and cooked. It will grow in both sunny or lightly shaded locations; however, it will fruit best in full sun. This plant does not like its roots disturbed, so growing as a container plant is an option prior to placing in its permanent location. The two cultivars listed, 'Well's Delight' and 'Bloodstone' can grow to form an almost solid evergreen carpet and are often recommended as a ground cover. The fruit of 'Well's Delight' has a slight aromatic flavor. In Zones 1 through 7, Creeping Blueberry is heat tolerant. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: None noted. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for " Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants " a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Vaccinium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 1 ft. 8 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Creeping; Horizontal
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Brown/Copper; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
1/2 inch finely serrate, glossy dark green to bronze leaves.
Flower color
Pink; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower shape
Bell; Urn
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small pendulous clusters of rosy red and white bell-shaped flowers in spring (April-May).
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Small purple-black round fruits that appear from June to July.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Brown
Bark detail
Brown and exfoliating.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Reddish-brown stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern U.S.A., North Carolina and Georgia
Distribution
VA, NC, SC, GA
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Vaccinium support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Conandrena) bradleyi, Andrena (Andrena) carolina, Panurginus atramontensis, Habropoda laboriosa, Colletes productus, Colletes validus, and Osmia (Melanosmia) virga. Birds and mammals are attracted to the berries.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds; Specialized Bees