Highbush Blueberry

Highbush Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

 

A cornerstone species of eastern North American ecosystems, Highbush Blueberry is a multi-season standout that delivers edible abundance, wildlife value, and serious ecological horsepower. This upright, long-lived shrub is as at home in restoration plantings as it is in edible landscapes, hedgerows, and naturalized gardens.

Description

Highbush Blueberry is a deciduous shrub typically reaching 1.5–3 m (5–10 ft) in height, with an open to rounded form. In spring, it produces delicate white to pale pink bell-shaped flowers that are highly attractive to native bees. Summer brings clusters of sweet, nutrient-dense blueberries, followed by spectacular red, orange, and burgundy fall colour. Smooth gray stems and fine branching give winter interest as well.

 

Growth Conditions

• Light: Full sun to partial shade (best fruiting in full sun)

• Soil: Acidic (pH ~4.0–5.5), moist, well-drained soils

• Moisture: Medium to moist; intolerant of prolonged drought

• Hardiness: Zone 3–7

• Longevity: Long-lived shrub once established

 

Thrives in bog margins, swales, open woodlands, and forest edges, especially where soils are rich in organic matter.

Ecological Value

Highbush Blueberry is a keystone ecological species. Its early flowers support a wide range of pollinators, including specialist native bees. The fruit feeds birds, small mammals, and humans alike, while dense branching provides nesting and cover habitat.

 

Larval Host Value

Vaccinium corymbosum is an important larval host plant. It supports the caterpillars of several native moths and butterflies, including:

• Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)

• Columbine Duskywing (uses Vaccinium regionally)

• Multiple geometrid and noctuid moth species

These insects, in turn, fuel bird populations, making blueberry shrubs a quiet engine of food-web stability.

 

Edible & Cultural Uses

The berries are rich in anthocyanins, antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins, long valued by Indigenous peoples for food and medicine. Fruits can be eaten fresh or used in preserves, baking, drying, and freezing.

 

Pairs Well With

• Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina)

• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

• Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)

• Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)

• Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)

Together, these species create resilient, pollinator-rich, edible habitat layers.

 

Why Plant It

Plant Highbush Blueberry to restore soil health, support pollinators, feed wildlife, and harvest real food — all while enjoying unmatched seasonal beauty.