Vaccinium spp. - Berry producing deciduous shrub.
Size: Grows 18-15 inches tall and 18 inches to 10 feed wide, depending on the type.
Features: Easy, attractive bushes that produce tasty fruits in the summer. It’s one of the best bird-attracting plants around, so be sure to plant one for the birds and one for you, and plan on draping plants with nets if you want all the berries. Makes an oustanding ornamental shrub with lustrous green leaves and attractive white bell-shaped flowers in spring. Some varieties have good fall color.
Uses: In the berry patch, or as a hedge. Used for edible treats for birds or humans.
Needs: Full sun. Moist, acidic soil is a must. Grow in one foot raised beds with acidified soil in regions with neutral or akaline soils. Prune each spring. If soil is not naturally acidic, fertilize with ammonium sulfate or another acidifying agent.
Choices: High bush types grow 8-15 feet producing much fruit; berries are especially tasty. Lowbush types grow up to 3 feet tall, short enough for snow to protect them, and are good choices for the North. Choose low chill types for the South. Early, mid and late-season plants are available.