'Climax' is a cultivar in the Ericaceae (blueberry) family. This heat tolerant variety will produce fruits that will typically ripen earlier and more rapidly than other cultivars or varieties. Its early harvesting make it a great plant to include with varieties of blueberries that have a later harvest to extend your blueberry season. When grown in optimal conditions, this variety will produce a high yield of dark blue berries. The best conditions will be a location that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight daily and contains acidic soil. An area that contains pine trees is an ideal location for your blueberry plant. When planting in full sun, ensure that watering is sufficient to not allow the soil to dry out. Regular watering should be provided. When growing multiple plants together, allow enough space between plants in order to be able to walk around the shrub at harvest time. Six to eight feet apart is ideal. The berries of the 'Climax' are large and sweet and have a firm, juicy texture. They can be eaten raw or included in baking muffins and pies, or added to pancake mix. Propagation is best done by stem cuttings from the current years' growth. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Spotted wing drosophila may attack the fruit. Potential but infrequent disease problems include stem blight, root rot, anthracnose, cane cankers, mildew, and botrytis. Mummy berry is a fungal disease that causes the berries to shrivel and drop. Birds relish the fruit, so cover shrubs with netting as the fruit ripens. These plants are frequently damaged by deer. If the soil pH is too high, it will cause chlorosis (yellowing of leaves). More information on Vaccinium corymbosum .
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.
Fills a similar nichePyrus communis 'Harrow Delight'Vaccinium corymbosum 'Premier'Vaccinium darrowii 'John Blue'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
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 | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The showy green leaves will turn red in the fall.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower shape
Bell; Urn
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small bell shaped flowers bloom in clusters in the springtime.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Blue; Green; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The sweet fruits can be eaten raw, often served on cereals as well as added to muffins, pancakes, and pies. The berries start out green and turn reddish/purple. Ripe fruits will be a dark blue.
Bark color
Light Brown; Light Gray
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern North America
Wildlife value
Birds eats the berries. The flowers attract butterflies and bees.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators; Songbirds
Play value
Attracts Pollinators; Easy to Grow; Edible fruit; Wildlife Food Source