Oval-Leaf Blueberry
Vaccinium ovalifolium
- Native to:
- Aleutian Is., Canada, Japan, Kuril Is., Labrador, Russia, United States
Walter Siegmund (talk)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Genus:
- Vaccinium
- Species:
- Vaccinium ovalifolium
- USDA Symbol:
- VAOV
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 400 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, white
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
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)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, bears, small mammals
- Fall Color:
- red, orange
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes following fire. Often increases in abundance in post-fire communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 5.5 (strongly acidic to acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers organic matter-rich soils
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination. Best sown on surface of acidic medium and kept consistently moist.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Sow seed into trays filled with stabilized medium plugs (Q-plugs). Seal trays inside plastic bags and refrigerate at 33.8 to 37.4 °F for 60 days. Check trays weekly and keep moist. If mold is evident, treat with 1% hydrogen peroxide.
Establishment: Berries should be collected in the fall when ripe and stored in a plastic bag at ~39.2 °F until extraction, within two weeks to prevent mold growth. Germination is extremely slow and somewhat uneven.
Source: npn.rngr.net