Low bush blueberry is a low-growing small native deciduous shrub. It can be found growing in open conifer woods, sandy or rocky balds and old fields. Prefers full sun to partial shade, acidic moist to dry soils. Plant more than one for the best fruit production. It is commonly propagated in the spring by taking softwood cuttings or you can grow it from seed. There are two types of blueberries: highbush and low bush. Highbush are those that are commonly found in stores. Lowbush blueberries are smaller and sweeter, and are therefore used often in jams and jellies. This plant will benefit from acidic soils that are moist, high in organic matter and well drained. It can be grown in full sun to part shade, however, a location with full sun with result into more blooms, more fruit and a more showy fall foliage. Blooming occurs on old wood. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Spotted winged drosophila. Alkaline soils can lead to leaf chlorosis. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for " Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants " a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Vaccinium .
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗Reconciled to full toolbox: matched by slug to slug 'vaccinium-angustifolium'. Identity (id/common/scientific name) preserved from the original 87-plant Hunnicutt set; attribute data refreshed from the 70-attribute toolbox scrape.
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.
Black walnut roots, leaves, and nut hulls release juglone (5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), a respiration-inhibiting naphthoquinone that causes yellowing, wilting, stunting, and death in sensitive species growing within the root zone. Blueberries (Vaccinium) appear by name on the standard extension lists of juglone-sensitive plants.
One of the best-documented allelopathy cases in temperate horticulture, and blueberry is named explicitly on the sensitive lists (not inferred). Effect stronge…
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.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Mountains
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low; Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire; Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Porous foliage. Foliage turns from reddish-green in spring to a dark blue-green in the summer than to a maroon-purple in the all. Lighter, glaucous underside.
Fall color
Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
White
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Bell; Urn
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The small white flowers are tinged with pink.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Blue; Green; Pink
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Juicy and edible berries in the summer.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Green; Light Brown
Bark detail
New growth is green while older growth is brown with exfoliating bark.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
The multi-stemmed, twiggy branches may turn red in winter.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Northeastern North America, NC
Distribution
CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV
Wildlife value
Native bees pollinate flowers. Berries are relished by birds and other wildlife. Butterflies are attracted to the blooms.
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Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Leafhoppers in Blueberries; Whiteflies in Blueberries; Scale Insects on Blueberry; Leaf Tier Caterpillars in Blueberries
Disease problems
Stem Blight of Blueberry; Twig Blight of Blueberry; Mummy Berry Disease of Blueberry; Anthracnose Fruit Rot (Ripe Rot) of Blueberries; Botrytis (Gray Mold) Blossom Blight and Fruit Rot of Blueberry; Exobasidium leaf and fruit spot of blueberry; Leaf Diseases of Blueberry