Blueberry

Vaccinium × marianum

Native to:
United States

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Ericaceae
Genus:
Vaccinium
Species:
Vaccinium × marianum
USDA Symbol:
VAMA2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub
Height:
120 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
may,jun
Bloom Colors:
white, pink
Landscaping Shrub:
Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

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, small mammals, bees
Fall Color:
red, orange
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts from rootstock after fire. Benefits from periodic burns that reduce competition.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
moist, well-drained acidic soil
pH:
4.5 - 6.0 (acidic to slightly acidic)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers organic-rich environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
Germination Time:
30–90 days
Notes:
Seeds require light for germination and acidic growing 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