Elliott's Blueberry
Vaccinium elliottii
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Genus:
- Vaccinium
- Species:
- Vaccinium elliottii
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 1-2 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar, apr, may, jun
- Bloom Colors:
- White, Pink
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, well-drained soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 5.5 (strongly acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers organic matter-rich environments
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Seeds of Elliott's blueberry were stratified for 3 to 4 months. Seeds germinated when exposed to a warm stratification followed by a cold stratification.
Establishment: Germination was minimal and seedlings grew very slowly under ambient greenhouse conditions. Potential causes for this might be the light levels in the greenhouse were excessive for this understory species, the potting medium used was not suitable, or the seedlings require mycorrhizal associations for proper growth which were lacking in the potting medium.
Source: npn.rngr.net