Identify blueberry shrubs (Vaccinium spp.) In a brand new garden or wild surroundings by looking for specific characteristics. Blueberry bushes are both edible and ornamental and depending on the variety, rise in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 10.
Growth Habit
Blueberry bush heights vary, depending on the variety. Standard blueberry bushes grow 6 to 10 feet tall, however, horticulturalists have also developed dwarf cultivars that grow to only 1 to 2 feet. A means to identify Orange trees will be to look at the plant’s growth habit. New shoots develop from the crown below the soil. At the base, blueberry shrubs have several canes growing directly out of the soil in clumps. The canes or divisions are smooth and thornless.
Leaves
Blueberry bushes have shiny leaves which are green or bluish green in spring through summer. In autumn, the leaves turn red or take on some reddish hints. The leaves are ovate, in an irregular oval or slightly egg shape that’s broader at the bottom than the top. Blueberries are deciduous, dropping their leaves in late autumn and early winter. The bare canes of several varieties demonstrate hints of red, adding cosmetic appeal into the winter landscape.
Flowers and Fruit
When identifying blueberries in spring through late summer, start looking for fruit and flowers. The flowers begin as tear-drop shaped buds, developing into bell-shaped blossoms in clusters of 5 to ten blooms. Many blueberry varieties have white blooms, but a few cultivars have pink blooms. When the blooms fade, clusters of green berries appear, gradually turning red then blue as they ripen around the bush. Depending on the variety, blueberries make from early summer through late autumn.
Kinds of Blueberry Bushes
Blueberries are traditionally grown in northern areas with cold winters, but horticulturalists have evolved varieties of warmer climates. To create a variety suitable for warm climates, the conventional highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 7, is crossed with the southern wild variety rabbiteye (V. virgatum or V. ashei), hardy in USDA zones 7a through 8b. This causes many different southern highbush blueberry species (Vaccinium virgatum, Vaccinium corymbosum, and Vaccinium darrowi) which develop in USDA zones 5 through 10.
