Which Blueberry Should I Plant? | NatureHills.com

Hey everyone it’s Whitney at NatureHills.com. This week I was going to jump straight into our top 5 favorite blueberries but while I was discussing with our horticulturist, I realized we should cover the different kinds of blueberries and how they’re different from each other first.
There are, conveniently, 5 different types of blueberry bushes: Northern Highbush, Southern Highbush, Lowbush, Rabbiteye, and Half-High. They all have their own unique characteristics that are helpful to know before picking the blueberry bush that’s right for you.
First up is Northern Highbush. These blueberries are native to the eastern part of the US and will often get to be on the bigger side, sometimes up to 6-8 feet! You can tell the highbush varieties from the lowbush, rabbiteyes, and half-highs by the botanical name, Vaccinium corymbosum. Highbush’s are self-fertile and don’t need a pollinator but adding another variety close by can increase your crop size and can sometimes even extend your harvest season. These are great options for those in colder climates. One of the most interesting highbush varieties is Pink Icing but you can’t go wrong with classics like Duke and Elliot and they make great pollinators.
The other half of the highbush varieties are called southern highbush. These were developed for warmer regions of the south and need fewer chill hours each year to actively produce fruit. These will also get to be about 6-8 feet tall and are self-fertile. However, again, planting another variety close by will allow for cross-pollination which leads to larger, and often longer, harvests. A couple of great Southern Highbush options are Sunshine Blue and Misty.
Lowbush blueberries bear the botanical name Vaccinium angustifolium and are another variety native to the north eastern part of the U.S. They normally grow to be 6 inches to 2 feet tall and are more often than not found growing naturally in the northeast. They’re native from Canada and Maine down to North Carolina and as far west as Iowa and Minnesota. While they’re mostly grown wild, there are a few great varieties for home gardens like Top Hat, Northblue and Northcountry.
Now, if you’re looking for a truly happy in the heat blueberry, then you’ll probably end up leaning towards Rabbiteye, Vaccinium virgatum. They’re native to the southeastern United States and were specifically bred with highbush and other varieties to have higher heat tolerance and lower chill hour requirements. These blueberry bushes will usually stick to around 3-6 feet tall and are not self-pollinating for the most part. You’ll want to plant two kinds in order to cross-pollinate for fruit production. A couple of popular standouts are Brightwell and Premier. Both are known for producing loads of extremely flavorful berries.
Lastly, there are half-high blueberries. These are a cross between highbush and lowbush varieties that come in a range of sizes. Half-highs are known for doing well in containers and require less pruning than traditional highbush varieties while offering more height and thus, berries per plant, than many lowbush varieties. Like their parent varieties, half-highs are self-pollinating but do produce more when planted near another blueberry bush. Northsky comes to mind as a great half-high, closely followed by Patriot and Polaris.
There you go, now the next time you’re on the hunt for the perfect berry bush you can feel confident in your understanding of the different blueberry terms. I had a lot of fun learning about these, do you have any of these types in your garden? Tell me which in the comments! Taking care of blueberries can be intimidating so I suggest checking out our video on how to plant blueberries along with reading more about their care instructions on each blueberry’s product page and on our #ProPlantTips blog.
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Until next time, happy planting!

[@alainite]

I just picked up a sharpblue in cape town south africa, thanks for the info

[@Agent.99]

Very informative. But now how do I identify which kind is in the garden of the house we bought? Some seem shorter and bushier with a smaller leaf than the others.

[@nirvana7115]

Which Highbush plant varieties should I plant near Himalyan ranges

[@robkh2136]

Can you tell me which blueberry can survive in hardy cold temp outside on patio under desk? I want it has big size and crunchy with sweet taste.

[@bruceritchings5336]

What happens if you try to grow a northern highbush (Chandler variety) in San Diego? If it doesn't get enough chill hours, will it just not set flowers or fruit?

[@chugginbeers]

Plant them in pots and buy a fridge to chill plants

[@4ktur]

what is lowest chillhour need best for warm climate blubarry variety ?

[@Naturehills]

Hi there, for a list of blueberries that do the best in your immediate area, it's always a good idea to check with your local extension office. That being said, Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush blueberries do well in warmer regions. A couple to look at include Climax Blueberry Bush (www.naturehills.com/climax-blueberry) and O'Neal Blueberry Bush (www.naturehills.com/oneal-blueberry). I hope this helps! - Whit

[@ourcozygarden]

Any suggested blueberry cultivars for zone 3? So far, no real success for ours other than bottom growth every spring and summer

[@Naturehills]

I spoke with our horticulturist and he recommends native lowbush varieties like Northcountry, Northsky, and Northblue. Don't forget that adding more than one can increase harvest size. If you're still having trouble, asking your local extension office for advise is always a great idea as they have the most experience with your immediate area and climate. I hope this helps! -Whit

[@user-eg3og5wf6w]

Hello friend Do you grow blueberries?

[@tulsiramdagur9580]

Hello friend I Riqarment blue berry plants,or business