Blueberry

Blueberries, raw. Scientific identity: Vaccinium species; the USDA generic record does not identify highbush, lowbush, rabbiteye, or variety. Edible part: Fresh fruit; leaves and stems are excluded. Exact source form: Blueberries, raw, corresponding to USDA FoodData Central FDC 171711.

A small berry with a sweet-tart interior and a natural pale waxy bloom on its skin.

Common name

Blueberry

Scientific name

Vaccinium spp.

Family

Ericaceae

Edition

Core Edibles

Flavor

Sweet · tangy · floral

Texture

Snappy skin · juicy center

Season

Summer

Best storage

Dry · refrigerated

Great for

Fresh · bake · freeze

Know this

Natural bloom is not fuzzy mold

Seedlings vary and take years. The essential requirement is acidic soil; ordinary neutral garden soil will not work without correction.

START WITH

Blueberry seed—or a named nursery plant for predictable fruit

CLIMATE

Temperate; choose highbush, rabbiteye, or lowbush types for the region

LIGHT

6–8+ hours of direct sun

SOIL

Acidic, organic, well-drained soil at about pH 4.5–5.5

1. 1

   Start it

   Clean seeds from ripe berries. Refrigerate in barely moist material for about 90 days, then surface-sow on acidic seed mix and cover very lightly. Keep at 60–70°F.

2. 2

   Give it room

   Grow seedlings in pots for a year, then plant highbush types about 4–5 feet apart. Plant two compatible varieties for stronger pollination.

3. 3

   Water correctly

   Use rainwater where tap water is alkaline. Keep shallow roots evenly moist with about 1 inch weekly.

4. 4

   Care for it

   Mulch 2–3 inches with pine bark or needles, never add lime, and prune only dead growth while plants establish.

5. 5

   Harvest

   Wait several days after berries turn fully blue; ripe fruit releases easily and tastes sweet rather than sharply sour.

Seedlings may need 3–6 years to produce a meaningful crop.

Wait several days after berries turn fully blue; ripe fruit releases easily and tastes sweet rather than sharply sour.