Top 10 Blueberry Varieties to Grow at Home

Homegrown blueberries are considered one of my favourite summertime snacks, with a sweet-tart taste that’s excellent for having fun with out of hand, blended right into a pancake batter, baked in a pie, or cooked down and made into jam.

Although rising blueberries at dwelling isn’t for everybody, given the correct situations, this might be the right crop so as to add to areas of the backyard with well-draining acidic soil (suppose: close to the stand of pine bushes) and full solar.

Dwarf varieties may even be grown in containers on the patio. And pink or white flowers and colourful fall foliage provides decorative backyard curiosity as properly.

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Native to North America, the primary hybrid cultivar was developed in New Jersey on the flip of the 20th century by Elizabeth White and Fred Coville, and so they’ve been massively in style ever since.

We’ve compiled a listing of a few of our favourite cultivars, suited to a wide range of climates and areas:

1. Biloxi (Zones 8-10)

This Southern highbush sort is a comparatively new cultivar, developed at Mississippi State College. And it’s nice for low-chill and even no-chill environments.

That’s proper – even should you stay in a rising zone with out sufficient nights with temperatures beneath freezing to develop different varieties of fruit, ‘Biloxi’ might do properly in your local weather.

‘Biloxi’

It truly grows higher with underneath 150 chill hours per season, although you possibly can nonetheless anticipate some fruit should you plant it in a cooler local weather.

With a vigorous development behavior and medium-sized berries which might be prepared to reap early within the season, plant in acidic soil amended with pine mulch and peat, in an space with full solar.

You will discover ‘Biloxi’ crops in two-gallon pots accessible from Quick Rising Timber.

2. Bluecrop (Zones 4-7)

The most well-liked selection on this planet!

An upright, open rising, spreading Northern Highbush selection, you possibly can anticipate ‘Bluecrop’ to develop at a medium pace, with a mature top round 5 to 6 toes and a ramification of 4 to 6 toes.

With a medium development fee, inexperienced leaves that change to crimson on crimson stems within the fall present decorative enchantment by means of the winter.

Most significantly, the agency, medium-sized mild blue fruit is thought for its glorious taste, and berries are proof against cracking.

‘Bluecrop‘

You possibly can anticipate constant yields and steady manufacturing from this mid-season cultivar, which produces flowers beginning in Could, and a harvest by early August.

This sort prefers organically wealthy soil, with fixed moisture and good drainage, and is thought to reach areas of the backyard the place different edibles battle. Identified for its illness resistance, ‘Bluecrop’ is drought tolerant when mature.

This selection is thought for having shallow roots, so work rigorously in case you are doing any cultivation or tending to different plantings within the space.

Discover ‘Bluecrop’ in #1 containers accessible from Nature Hills Nursery.

3. Blueray (Zones 4-7)

With candy, mild blue berries that start to ripen in early to mid-July, this Northern Highbush cultivar is named an ideal sort to plant with different highbush varieties for cross-pollination.

Inexperienced foliage turns scarlet within the fall, with a five- to six-foot most top and three- to four-foot unfold.

‘Blueray’

The mid-season ‘Blueray’ berries are identified for being crack resistant, with a powerful blueberry taste and aroma, and agency flesh.

This selection is thought for overproducing, which implies it would naturally set an abundance of fruit that may stress the plant, so it must be pruned often and thoroughly.

‘Blueray’ is offered at Burpee.

4. Brightwell (Zones 6-9)

This is among the bigger cultivars, rising to a max top of eight to 10 toes with an nearly equal unfold, and enormous berries.

A rabbiteye sort, which means it has berries that change in shade from pink to blue as they mature.

’Brightwell’

You possibly can anticipate giant harvests from this self-fruiting selection – so you possibly can plant only one if you want, although you possibly can at all times anticipate greater yields with a buddy to cross pollinate. Tifblue or Climax are advisable.

Many cultivars require attentive mulching and soil modification, however this selection isn’t as choosy, and is hardy within the face of late freezes.

‘Brightwell’ can tolerate partial solar, although full solar is at all times finest for fruit-bearing crops. It produces engaging pink flowers, and inexperienced foliage that may flip shades of crimson and orange within the fall.

Decide up ‘Brightwell’ crops in #1, #3, and #5 containers from Nature Hills Nursery.

5. Legacy (Zones 5-8)

This Northern Highbush selection is thought for the sweetness and glorious style of its giant berries, in accordance with the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station of the USDA.

Leaves flip crimson within the fall, and the disease-resistant crops can attain max heights over six toes at maturity, with a ramification of three to 6 toes.

‘Legacy’

With excessive yields and a late mid-season harvest, ‘Legacy‘ fruit shops properly, and crops exhibit vigorous, upright development.

It should even hold a few of its leaves by means of delicate winters, for added backyard curiosity.

‘Legacy‘ is offered from Nature Hills Nursery in #2 and #6 containers.

6. Pink Icing (Zones 5-10)

With a mature top of three to 4 toes and an upright mounded unfold of 4 to 5 toes, the blue berries are prepared for harvest mid-season, and identified for his or her strong taste.

New development within the spring provides decorative curiosity, with leaves in various shades pink, blended with blue and darkish inexperienced, and a beautiful turquoise blue hue in winter.

‘Pink Icing’

‘Pink Icing’ grows finest in full solar, however can tolerate some shade.

Comparatively low upkeep, you gained’t need to do plenty of pruning with this self-pollinating dwarf selection. And grown underneath the correct situations, the fast-growing crops can stay for 20 years.

Discover ‘Pink Icing’ crops in two-gallon containers from Inexperienced Promise Farms by way of Amazon.

7. Pink Popcorn (Zones 4-8)

One of many extra uncommon cultivars, these blueberries are literally pink when mature, with the identical taste that you simply’re used to. And so they freeze properly, too.

Reaching 4 to 5 toes in top and unfold when mature, ‘Pink Popcorn’ is a compact Northern Highbush selection that prefers peaty, acidic soil and even moisture.

‘Pink Popcorn’

This cultivar grows at a medium pace, with white flowers and darkish inexperienced foliage that turns crimson within the fall.

Fruit is prepared for harvest early to mid-season, and you’ll anticipate plenty of berries from these hardy crops. They’re straightforward to look after, illness resistant, and self-pollinating.

You possibly can choose up ‘Pink Popcorn’ crops from Nature Hills Nursery.

8. Powder Blue (Zones 6-9)

With a mature top and unfold of six to 10 toes, ‘Powder Blue’ is a hardy cultivar with an upright development behavior and medium development fee.

White flowers bloom in late spring to early summer season, which supplies added safety from late freezes. And inexperienced foliage modifications to crimson and yellow within the fall.

‘Powder Blue’

It is a rabbiteye sort is thought to be sweeter than different varieties, with harvests later within the season than you’ll discover with different cultivars.

Anticipate a excessive yield of huge, mild blue fruit in clusters of as much as 50 berries every, excellent for canning. Additionally they maintain up properly to freezer storage.

Typically lengthy lived, plant ‘Powder Blue’ with different cultivars for cross-pollination.

Nature Hills Nursery carries ‘Powder Blue’ in #1, #3, and #5 containers.

9. Sunshine Blue (Zones 5-10)

This cultivar stands out when it comes to decorative worth, with pink flowers within the spring, and engaging blue-green foliage that turns burgundy crimson within the fall.

To not point out the candy and scrumptious medium-sized fruit that’s prepared for a mid- to late season harvest in late July and August.

A dwarf Southern highbush selection, ‘Sunshine Blue’ grows to a most top and unfold of three to 4 toes. It’s straightforward to prune, and might even be grown in containers, so it’s excellent for small area gardeners).

‘Sunshine Blue’

‘Sunshine Blue’ can tolerate a wide range of soils (so long as they drain properly) and even some shade, although full solar is most well-liked for max yields. Plant with one other selection to maintain your bases lined, for cross-pollination.

This cultivar is claimed to tolerate soil with a excessive pH higher than different varieties, and it’s identified for vigorous development in hotter climates, with an upright, compact behavior.

Discover ‘Sunshine Blue’ in #1 and #5 containers accessible at Nature Hills Nursery.

10. Prime Hat (Zones 4-7)

Developed at Michigan State College with a half-high development behavior, at maturity you possibly can anticipate ‘Prime Hat’ to achieve a complete top of 18 to 24 inches, with a ramification of 1 to 2 toes.

With white flowers within the spring, its leathery inexperienced leaves flip shades of bronze within the fall.

‘Prime Hat‘

These petite crops are nice for small areas, and could be grown in pots – we’ve even heard that some gardeners have experimented with trimming this cultivar right into a tidy ornamental bonsai! ‘Prime Hat’ will also be grown as a border plant.

Although they like full solar, ‘Prime Hat’ crops can tolerate partial shade, and they’re going to develop at a medium pace in well-drained soil.

This self-pollinating dwarf selection could be grown by itself, and regardless of its small measurement, it produces full-size berries which might be prepared for harvest in July and August.

Head to Nature Hills Nursery to choose up ‘Prime Hat’ in #1 containers.

A Scrumptious Harvest, Grown at Dwelling

With so many tempting choices to select from, it’s going to be laborious to choose only one. Thankfully, you don’t need to!

Planting a couple of number of the identical sort (i.e. highbush or rabbiteye) is advisable, to make sure giant harvests.

You’ll should be affected person, since manufacturing gained’t attain its peak till crops are not less than a couple of years previous, however this scrumptious fruit is well worth the wait.

Keep in mind that blueberries do finest in acidic soil – a pH lower than 5.0 is required to develop them efficiently, so take a look at your soil and amend it appropriately earlier than you get to planting, ideally a yr upfront for in-ground plantings.

Which varieties will you develop? We love listening to from you, so be sure you drop us a line within the feedback beneath!

And for extra blueberry gardening guides, be sure you take a look at a few of our different articles comparable to:

© Ask the Consultants, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for extra particulars. Initially revealed Could twenty sixth, 2018. Final up to date: Could third, 2025. Product pictures by way of Burpee, Quick Rising Timber, Inexperienced Promise Farms, and Nature Hills Nursery. Uncredited pictures: Shutterstock.