Lowbush Blueberry is a native deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae (blueberry) family and can be found in dry woodlands, forests on slopes, clearings, and thickets. It grows to 2-3 feet tall and wide with a rounded form. It is a low maintenance and drought tolerant plant that has beautiful red to orange fall color. It spreads through underground runners and can form clumps. This is a high-value wildlife plant as the berries are eaten by many and the shrub is a host plant. The shrub easily hybridizes with other blueberry plants so the leaves, flowers and fruit may vary in size and shape. Lowbush Blueberry can be used as an ornamental shrub in the native garden or naturalized area. It is adaptable to soil types as long as they are well-drained and acidic and does best in full sun but tolerates shade. Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant will not survive in alkaline soils. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed 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.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | 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
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire; Serrate
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
1- 2.25-inch oval to ovate leaves are .5 to 1 inch across and medium to yellow-green. The undersides are pale green, sometimes glaucous, and may have hairs. Margins are entire but may have some serration near the apex. Fall color is oranges to reds.
Fall color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Bell; Urn
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
1/3 inch white bell-shaped flowers that form in tight hanging clusters occur late spring (March-April)
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Blue
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
1/4 inch edible blue-black berry matures in mid-summer (June-July). The fruit is edible and sweet to the taste. Females cannot produce fruit on their own.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Green; Light Brown; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
The bark is smooth and green to green-red.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green
Stem detail
Stems are glabrous and yellowish-green with small warty dots. Older branches become woody and vary in color from red to yellowish-brown;
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern and central North America
Distribution
: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: ON
Wildlife value
It is a host plant for the Brown Elfin butterfly. Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, small mammals, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys and black bear. 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.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
The fruit of the Lowbush blueberry can be eaten raw or cooked. The flavor is sweet to bland.