Upland Highbush Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

Native to:
United States

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Ericaceae
Genus:
Vaccinium
Species:
Vaccinium corymbosum
USDA Symbol:
VASI2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub
Height:
400 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Months:
apr,may,jun
Bloom Colors:
white, pink
Landscaping Shrub:
Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Butterflies & Moths:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Caterpillars:
★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

American Dagger Moth (Acronicta americana), Andromeda Underwing (Catocala andromedae), Apple Sphinx (Sphinx "gordius"), Apple Sphinx (Sphinx gordius), Banded Tussock Moth (Halysidota tessellaris), Basicladus celibatus, Caloptilia burgessiella, Caloptilia vacciniella, cranberry fruitworm (Acrobasis vaccinii), Dichomeris ligulella, Drexel's datana moth (Datana drexelii), green oak slug moth (Parasa chloris), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Huckleberry sphinx (Paonias astylus), Hyppa xylinoides, Mesothea incertata, Pangrapta decoralis, Parornix arbitrella, Parornix preciosella, Phyllonorycter diversella, Slender clearwing (Hemaris gracilis), speckled cutworm (Lacanobia subjuncta), Tischeria insolita, Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), white-spot moth (Antaeotricha leucillana), zebra caterpillar moth (Melanchra picta), Brown Elfin (Incisalia augustinus), Henry's Elfin (Incisalia henrici), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Interior Sulphur (Colias interior), Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Brown-belted bumble (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Confusing bumble (Bombus perplexus), Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), Habropoda laboriosa, Half-black bumble (Bombus vagans), Tri-colored bumble (Bombus ternarius), Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus) Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Moths:Drexel's datana moth (Datana drexelii), Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae), Huckleberry sphinx (Paonias astylus)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals, bees, butterflies
Fall Color:
red, orange, yellow
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts vigorously from root crown following fire. Common component of fire-maintained pine barrens and pocosins.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days
Germination Time:
30–90 days
Notes:
Seeds require light for germination. Surface sow on acidic peat-based medium; germination can be erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.

Source: Claude AI