Blue Ridge Blueberry

(Vaccinium pallidum)

Blue Ridge Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum)

Reuven Martin

Public Domain

Image By: Reuven Martin

Recorded By:

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Vaccinium pallidum, commonly known as Blue Ridge Blueberry, is a deciduous shrub native to dry, open oak and pine woodlands, as well as forest edges and clearings in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada. It typically grows 23 to 51 centimeters (9 to 20 inches) tall, but can range from 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) to 1 meter (40 inches) in height depending on environmental conditions. This shrub forms colonies through sprouting from its rhizome, which can lead to extensive clonal patches. The bark on its stems is greenish-brown to red, while smaller twigs may be green, reddish, yellowish, or gray. Its flowers are cylindrical, bell-shaped, or urn-shaped, borne in racemes of up to 11, and range from white to pinkish or greenish, sometimes described as "greenish-white with pink striping," measuring about half a centimeter to one centimeter long. The flowers are pollinated by bees and are not particularly showy. The fruit is a berry, waxy blue to shiny black in color, or rarely pure white, containing several seeds, some of which may not be viable.

Blue Ridge Blueberry is valued for its edible berries, which are a food source for wildlife and can be used in culinary applications. It is also appreciated for its ability to thrive in poor soils and its low maintenance requirements. In cultivation, it is used for naturalistic plantings, as a ground cover, or in wildlife gardens. It prefers full sun but can tolerate part shade and is adaptable to a range of soil types, including dry, rocky, sandy, gravelly, and heavy clay soils. While generally disease-resistant, it can suffer from common blueberry pests and diseases such as blueberry maggot and fungal infections.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Shrub
Height: 1-3 feet
Width: 2-3 feet
Growth Rate: Moderate
Flower Color: White, Pink
Flowering Season: Spring
Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Low
Drainage: Slow, Medium, Fast

Common Uses

Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Drought Tolerant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Fire Resistant, Groundcover, Hummingbird Garden, Low Maintenance, Salt Tolerant

Natural Habitat

Dry, open oak and pine woodlands, forest edges, and clearings

Other Names

Common Names: Hillside Blueberry, Early Lowbush Blueberry, , Hilllside Lowbush Blueberry, Dryland Blueberry, Hillside Blueberry, Late Lowbush Blueberry, Pale Blueberry, Hillside Lowbush Blueberry, Blueberry

Scientific Names: , Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium vacillans, Vaccinium torreyanum, Vaccinium pennsylvanicum, Vaccinium alto-montanum, Vaccinium viride, Vaccinium missouriense, Vaccinium vacillans var. crinitum, Vaccinium corymbosum var. pallidum

GBIF Accepted Name: Vaccinium pallidum Aiton