This genus encompasses shrubs of several fruits including blueberries and cranberries. Many species are native to North America, including NC, and grow well in our local climate and acidic soils. There are multiple cultivars. Some are heat tolerant, early fruiting, late fruiting, or disease resistant. Quick ID Hints: shrub with cane growth old stems are brown and exfoliating young stems are yellowish-green, and red during the winter leaves are alternate, elliptic to ovate, entire margins, greenish-blue in color, and the undersides are lighter and glaucous urn-shaped blooms arranged in racemes, varying color from white to pink fruits are berries that are initially green, then reddish-pink, and then blue with a glaucous coat Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The most serious pests are birds that devour fruits. To protect the shrubs, cover them either individually or in groups with plastic netting. Aphids may be seen on the shrubs, and powdery mildew can occur. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
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.
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Erect
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Deciduous; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The non-distinct leaves are often elliptic to ovate and have an alternate arrangement. The leaves are greenish-blue during the summer, and the undersides are lighter in color and glaucous. The leaves have bright fall colors and may be red, yellow, orange, or bronze.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme; Solitary; Spike
Flower shape
Cup; Urn
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers vary but are often small and urn-shaped with fused petals. Their color ranges from white to pink.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Blue; Green; Pink; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Fruit shape, color, and size vary with species with many being dark blue or bright red. They all have a distinct "crown" of 4-5 parts on the blossom end. The fruits are initially green, transition to reddish-pink, then blue with a glaucous coat.
Bark color
Dark Brown
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Old stems are brown and exfoliating. Young stems are yellowish-green. Most blueberry stems are red during the winter.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Distribution
Worldwide
Wildlife value
Berries are valuable wildlife food.
Play value
Edible fruit
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
All fruits in this genus are safe to eat, though a few are not palatable. Most are sweet and/or tart and many, including blueberries and cranberries, are grown commercially for their fruit.
Scale Insects on Blueberry; Leafhoppers in Blueberries; Whiteflies in Blueberries; Leaf Tier Caterpillars in Blueberries
Disease problems
Stem Blight of Blueberry; Twig Blight of Blueberry; Leaf Diseases of Blueberry; Mummy Berry Disease of Blueberry; Exobasidium leaf and fruit spot of blueberry; Anthracnose Fruit Rot (Ripe Rot) of Blueberries; Botrytis (Gray Mold) Blossom Blight and Fruit Rot of Blueberry