blueberry plant – greenupside

Blueberry bushes come in many different types – some of them are quite tall, while others are very short. Blueberries are a great source of antioxidants, and if you want to grow them yourself, there are lots of varieties for you to choose from. So, what are the blueberry varieties you should know about? Some blueberry varieties you might like to try include: Northern Highbush (like Duke or Pink Lemonade), Southern Highbush (like Jewel or Sunshine), Lowbush (like Brunswick or Velvetleaf), Rabbiteye (like Brightwell or Premier), and Half-High (like Chippewa or Northcountry). There are lots of other blueberry varieties to choose from, and this list does not cover them all. However, it will give you a good list of options. In this article, we’ll list some blueberry varieties of the five basic types: lowbush, northern highbush, southern highbush, rabbiteye, and half-high. We’ll also look at the details on when they produce fruit, how tall they get, and where to find them. Let’s get started. Blueberry Varieties Blueberries have a unique sweet and tangy flavor, making them perfect for pies, cereal, or just for snacking. You might be surprised by how big blueberry bushes can get. Blueberries can be sweet, tangy, or both. Some of the bushes stay short (1 to 2 feet), while others tower over other plants at 8 to 10 feet tall. Depending on the variety, they can range from short (1 foot tall, almost at ground level) to incredibly tall (up to 12 feet!). They prefer acidic soil (with an ideal pH of 4.5 to 5.5). If you are growing blueberry bushes for the first time, read this article to help you choose a planting site. Different blueberry varieties also mature at different times during the summer (usually somewhere in the months of June, July, or August), so if you plant several different types, you might be able to extend the harvest window. Blueberries ripen at different times (from late May to August), depending on the variety. Blueberries are categorized by five main types: Northern Highbush – these blueberry bushes are hardy to the winter cold in northern regions. They can reach heights of 6 to 7 feet at maturity.Southern Highbush – these blueberry bushes are not as cold hardy as Northern Highbush varieties. They can reach heights of 6 feet at maturity.Lowbush – these bushes are sometimes called wild blueberries. They are often grown in Maine and Eastern Canada. They only grow to about 1 foot tall (hence their fitting name!)Rabbiteye – these blueberry bushes are native to the Southeastern U.S. They may not be able to produce fruit consistently in colder northern regions. They are also less able to self-pollinate than other blueberry types. They can reach heights of 9 feet at maturity.Half-High – these blueberry bushes are a hybrid. They are the result of a cross between Northern Highbush and Lowbush blueberry types. They will tolerate temperatures as low as -45 to -35 degrees Fahrenheit (-43 to -37 degrees Celsius). They can reach heights of 3 to 4 feet at maturity. Blueberry plants are self-pollinating, but they will produce better if they are cross-pollinated. However, you can only get proper cross-pollination by planting two different blueberry varieties of the same type. For example, according to the University of Vermont Extension, a highbush blueberry bush cannot help to pollinate a lowbush blueberry bush. Also, some blueberry types do not self-pollinate as well as others. For example, according to Clemson University, rabbiteye blueberries do not self-pollinate as well as other types. Cross pollination of blueberry plants has several benefits, including: More Even Ripening – the berries tend to ripen more evenly and fully.Larger Berries – the berries tend to grow bigger due to earlier pollination.More Fruit – more berries are produced due to more flowers being pollinated. You will also get better cross pollination of blueberries if you have plenty of bees in your yard. Bees will help to cross-pollinate blueberry flowers to give you a better harvest. Here is some more information on 25 blueberry varieties (5 of each type), including where to find them. Let’s start with northern highbush blueberry varieties. Northern Highbush Blueberry Varieties Northern Highbush blueberries bushes are adapted to the cold of harsh winters in northern regions. They can get up to 6 or 7 feet tall at maturity, which can make harvesting the highest berries a little difficult. Duke This Northern Highbush blueberry variety was developed by the USDA in Maryland and released in 1987. It is cold-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 7. The plants grow 4 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide at maturity, producing white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries early in the year (late May), so add this one to your garden if you want to extend the blueberry harvest season! You can learn more about Duke blueberries from Stark Brothers. Earliblue This Northern Highbush blueberry variety was developed in 1936 and released in 1952. It is cold-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 7. The plants grow 4 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide at maturity, producing pink & white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces medium to large blue berries somewhat early in the year (June), so add this one to your garden if you want to extend the blueberry harvest season! You can learn more about Earliblue blueberries from Stark Brothers. Patriot This Northern Highbush blueberry variety was introduced in 1976. It is very cold-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7. The plants grow 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity, producing pink & white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large (quarter-size!) blue berries somewhat early in the year (June), so add this one to your garden if you want to extend the blueberry harvest season! You can learn more about Patriot blueberries from Stark Brothers. Pink Lemonade This Northern Highbush blueberry variety was developed in 1996. It is cold-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8. The plants grow 4 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide at maturity, producing pink flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces medium pink berries somewhat later in the year (late July to early August). Pink Lemonade is a unique blueberry variety, producing pink fruit instead of the blue we are accustomed to. You can learn more about Pink Lemonade blueberries from Stark Brothers. Sweetheart This Northern Highbush blueberry variety was developed in 1999 and released in 2010. It is cold-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8. The plants grow 5 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity, producing white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries early in the year (late May to early June), with a second crop in mild areas (August). You can learn more about Sweetheart blueberries from Stark Brothers. Southern Highbush Blueberry Varieties Southern Nighbush blueberry bushes are not as cold hardy as Northern Highbush varieties. However, they can tolerate the heat in southern parts of the U.S. Southern Highbush blueberry varieties are heat tolerant, making them a good choice for southern gardeners. They can reach heights of 6 feet at maturity. Jewel This Southern Highbush blueberry variety is partially evergreen. It is heat-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9. The plants grow 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide at maturity, producing flowers in March or April. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries later in the year (June to July). You can learn more about Jewel blueberries from OneGreenWorld. Jubilee This Southern Highbush blueberry variety was introduced in 1994. It is heat-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. The plants grow 4 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide at maturity, producing pink & white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces medium powder-blue berries early in the year (June), so add these to your garden if you want to extend the harvest season! You can learn more about Jubilee blueberries from Stark Brothers. Misty This Southern Highbush blueberry variety was introduced in 1989. It is heat-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10. The plants grow 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide at maturity, producing pink flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces medium to large sky-blue berries early in the year (June), so add these to your garden if you want to extend the harvest season! You can learn more about Misty blueberries from Stark Brothers. O’Neal This Southern Highbush blueberry variety was introduced in 1987. It is heat-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. The plants grow 4 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide at maturity, producing pink & white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries early in the year (June), so add these to your garden if you want to extend the harvest season! You can learn more about O’Neal blueberries from Stark Brothers. Sunshine This Southern Highbush blueberry variety was introduced in 1979. It is heat-tolerant, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10. The plants grow 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity, producing pink & white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces medium blue berries a little later in the year (June to July). You can learn more about Sunshine blueberries from Stark Brothers. Lowbush Blueberry Varieties Lowbush blueberry bushes are sometimes called wild blueberries. They are often grown in Maine and Eastern Canada. Lowbush blueberry varieties stay short, meaning anyone can harvest the highest berries (you might have to bend down to the ground, though!) They only grow to about 1 or 2 feet tall (hence their fitting name!) Brunswick This Lowbush blueberry variety works great as a ground cover. It is compact and deciduous, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 8. The plants grow 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 4 feet wide at maturity, producing white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces medium blue berries in summer. You can learn more about Brunswick blueberries from Conifer Kingdom. Bushel & Berry Blueberry Buckle This Lowbush blueberry variety grows well in containers on your patio. It is neat and compact, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 10. The plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide at maturity, producing white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries early in the summer (June), so add this one to your garden if you want to extend the harvest season! You can learn more about Bushel & Berry Blueberry Buckle blueberries from Stark Brothers. Dwarf Tophat This Lowbush blueberry variety grows well in containers on your patio. It is compact and very productive, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7. The plants grow 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide at maturity, producing white flowers. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large dusky-blue berries late in the summer (late August), so add this one to your garden if you want to extend the harvest season! You can learn more about Dwarf Tophat Blueberry Buckle blueberries from Gurney’s. Velvetleaf This Lowbush blueberry variety is also known as Canadian Blueberry. It is native to North America, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8. The plants grow 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide at maturity, producing flowers in May. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries later in the year (July). You can learn more about Velvetleaf blueberries from OneGreenWorld. Rabbiteye Blueberry Varieties Rabbiteye blueberry bushes are native to the Southeastern U.S. They may not be able to produce fruit consistently in colder northern regions. Rabbiteye blueberry varieties are some of the tallest you can find, with some growing to a height of 9 feet or more! They are also less able to self-pollinate than other blueberry types. They can reach heights of 9 feet at maturity. Brightwell This Rabbiteye blueberry variety grows upright and open. It is high-yielding, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9. The plants grow 6 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide at maturity, producing flowers in May. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces medium blue berries early in the year (early June). You can learn more about Brightwell blueberries from Plant Me Green. DeSoto This Rabbiteye blueberry variety was released in 2004. It is short for a rabbiteye variety, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9. The plants grow 5 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity. The flowers bloom late, which helps to avoid problems with late spring frosts. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries later in the year (late June to early August). You can learn more about DeSoto blueberries from Plant Me Green. Ochlockonee This Rabbiteye blueberry variety was released by the University of Georgia. It is short for a rabbiteye variety, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9. The plants grow 5 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity. The flowers bloom late, which helps to avoid problems with late spring frosts. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries later in the year (July to August). You can learn more about Ochlockonee blueberries from Plant Me Green. Premier This Rabbiteye blueberry variety is very productive. The bushes are upright, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9. The plants grow 6 to 8 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide at maturity. The flowers bloom early, which increases risk of damage due to early spring frosts. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries early in the year (late May to early June). You can learn more about Premier blueberries from Plant Me Green. Vernon This Rabbiteye blueberry variety is an early season producer. The bushes have a high yield, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9. The plants grow 6 to 8 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide at maturity. The flowers bloom early, which increases risk of damage due to early spring frosts. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries early in the year (early June). You can learn more about Vernon blueberries from Plant Me Green. Half-High Blueberry Varieties Half-High blueberry bushes are a hybrid. They are the result of a cross between Northern Highbush and Lowbush blueberry types. Blueberry bushes are incredibly cold-hardy, able to withstand temperatures down to -35 or even -45 degrees Fahrenheit! They are cold-weather champions and can tolerate temperatures as low as -45 to -35 degrees Fahrenheit (-43 to -37 degrees Celsius). They can reach heights of 3 to 4 feet at maturity. Bushel & Berry Jelly Bean This Half-High blueberry variety is good in containers on the patio. It is cold hardy, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8. The plants grow 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide at maturity. The flowers bloom late, which decreases the risk of damage due to early spring frosts. After 1 to 2 years, the plant produces large blue berries later in the year (late July to early August). You can learn more about Bushel & Berry Jelly Bean blueberries from Stark Brothers. Chippewa This Half-High blueberry variety comes from the University of Minnesota. It is cold hardy, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7. The plants grow 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity. The flowers bloom late, which decreases the risk of damage due to early spring frosts. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries later in the year (around July). You can learn more about Chippewa blueberries from Nature Hills. Dwarf Northsky This Half-High blueberry variety grows compact with small berries in tight clusters. It is cold hardy, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7. The plants grow 1.5 feet tall and 2 feet wide at maturity. The flowers bloom in mid spring to early s summer. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries later in the year (around July). You can learn more about Dwarf Northsky blueberries from Gurney’s. Dwarf Northblue This Half-High blueberry variety grows compact, making it good for patio growing in containers. It is cold hardy, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7. The plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide at maturity. The flowers bloom in mid-summer. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces large blue berries early in the year (mid-June). You can learn more about Dwarf Northblue blueberries from Gurney’s. Northcountry This Half-High blueberry variety was introduced in 1986. It is cold hardy, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7. The plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide at maturity. The flowers are white, appearing in spring. After 2 to 3 years, the plant produces small to medium blue berries in late June to early July. You can learn more about Northcountry blueberries from Stark Brothers. Conclusion Now you have a solid list of blueberry varieties (of the 5 main types) that you can choose from. I wish you a bountiful harvest, whether you are just getting started with blueberries or you are an old pro. If your blueberry bush is flowering but has no fruit, you can troubleshoot the issue in this article. I hope you found this article helpful. If so, please share it with someone who can use the information. If you want to read some of my most popular posts, check out the “Best of GreenUpSide” page here. Enjoy! ~Jonathon