The beloved Highbush Blueberry is a deciduous shrub native to much of Eastern North America, with outstanding landscape value over three seasons. It’s clusters of dainty, hanging, bell-shaped, white-pink flowers are lovely in spring, followed by tasty blue berries that ripen in summer. These are valued by humans, birds, and smaller mammals. Then in the fall the foliage exhibits an array of the season’s best reds and golds. It grows to about 10 feet in full sun or partly shady light conditions (the more light, the more berries and the more fall color). In nature it is found on the higher mounds in swamps and low areas — in other words, moist but well drained soils. It is easily grown in an upland yard or garden where a low pH can be maintained and where it consistently rewards the gardener well for his investment with its beauty and its appeal to wildlife.
