FS419

Fact sheet
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Selecting Blueberry Varieties

for the Home Garden
William J. Sciarappa, Ph.D., Monmouth County Agricultural Agent & Gary C. Pavlis, Ph.D., Atlantic County Agricultural Agent

T
he blueberry bush makes a wonderful choice
for the home gardener as a flavorful food
crop or as an ornamental landscape shrub.
There are several important considerations in decid-
ing which particular varieties are best suited to the
gardener’s goals, planting site, and climate.

Highbush blueberry has been commercially bred

over the last 100 years and has developed a large
number of diverse and productive varieties. Most
home gardeners will select for taste, fruit size, and
color in consuming berries fresh off the bush. Others
may prefer smaller, firmer, and more flavorful fruit
for baking, processing, or storage. Some gardeners Flower clusters on blueberry bush bloom for a one to two week
are selecting landscaping varieties from a bush size and period.

color standpoint to be utilized in specimen plantings,

hedging, or accent pieces. Some varieties change ern highbush hybrid blueberry species. The
their blue/green foliage to a striking orange, yellow, lowbush blueberry species (Vaccinium
purple, or red color in the fall. Flower colors range angustifolium), native to New England and Canada,
from white to pink in a profuse springtime display. is also not very well adapted to our more moderate
climate. The best selection is the highbush blue-
New Jersey encompasses three different plant berry (Vaccinium corymbosum), our native species
growth zones; 6, 7, and 8. The cooler northern which is ideally suited to all three growth zones of
region 6 has a seasonal growing period of about 140 the Garden State.
days from last spring frost to first fall frost, while the
warmer southern region zone 8 has a much longer Highbush blueberry cultivars have an inherent resis-
growing period of about 220 days. Low winter tance to many diseases of fruit, flower, and foliage.
temperature in the north may range from –5° to 10°F If the home gardener or small farmer is situated
compared to 10° to 20°F in the south. The central several miles away from large commercial blue-
portion zone 7 is intermediate between these two berry production areas, insect pests will seldom
growth zones. These climatic factors limit the cause significant damage (see fact sheet, FS106,
culture of Rabbiteye (Vaccinium ashei) and south- Blueberry Pest Management for the Homeowner).
Nonetheless, certain varieties have been selectively
bred for resistance to common diseases in our area.
These characteristics may be listed on the varietal
label used by the commercial nursery.

There are also choices to be made in terms of

transplant size and age. Bushes may be bare-rooted
or pot-grown and one, two, or three years old. One
year old plants are the least expensive but will not
bear fruit for two years. The fruit buds need to be
stripped off by hand in order to grow more foliage
and deeper roots for a more productive harvest in the
fourth year. Two year old plants are much more A new variety, "Duke", is noted for large fruit and high yield.
dependable in establishment and need only one
more season of non-bearing. (See fact sheet, FS750, benefit from exchanging pollen which increases
Establishing Blueberries in the Home Garden.) fruit size, ripening, and yield. Another important
Three year old plants are, of course, the largest and consideration is the length of the harvest season
most expensive. This extra expense may make which generally ranges from 2 to 6 weeks per culti-
sense when only purchasing a few bushes for the var. The gardener should select a mix of varieties
home grounds in order to reach a faster harvest. having early, middle, and late season harvest times
Sources of certified virus and disease free blueberry which can ripen in succession and cumulatively
plants can be found in commercial nursery catalogs, extend production periods (Chart 1).
at home garden suppliers, accessed on the internet,
or from your county extension offices. While primary criteria for cultural choice by home
gardeners are berry flavor, aroma, sweetness, and
Late fall planting is preferred but a March timing is tartness; other considerations include berry size,
acceptable. This timing is less important when the berry color, cluster density, productivity, plant
plant is containerized, which suffers less from root structure, bush size, vigor, and cold hardiness. Va-
disturbance and transplant shock. Purchase at least rietal information is compared in Table 1. If pos-
two varieties and plant them close together (3–4 sible, visit your local "pick-your-own" blueberry
feet) to increase cross-pollination. While most high- farms several times during the season and sample all
bush blueberry varieties are self-fertile, all bushes the varieties the growers have to offer.

Chart 1: Varietal Fruiting Season – Zones 6, 7, 8

VARIETY MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST
Earliblue
Bluetta
Blueray
Patriot
Duke
Collins
Bluecrop
Legacy
Coville
Bluegold
Herbert
Jersey
Lateblue
Elliot

2
 Table 1: Varietal Information for the Homeowner or Small Farmer

VARIETY SEASON FRUIT SIZE COLOR PLANT TYPE FLAVOR COMMENTS

Earliblue Very Early Large 8 Upright/Spreading Good Firm, good aroma, good dessert quality
Bluetta Very Early Medium 5 Spreading Mild Soft, fair, short size
Ivanhoe Early Medium 7 Upright Excellent Firm aromatic, high dessert quality
Patriot Early Large 8 Upright Very Good Firm, aromatic, tasty, small bush
Stanley Early Medium 7 Upright Very Good Firm, aromatic, high dessert quality
Blueray Late Early Large 8 Spreading Very Good Aromatic, high dessert quality
Duke Late Early Large 8 Upright Good Firm, big bush, high yielder
Collins Late Early Large 8 Upright/Spreading Good Firm, good aroma, good dessert quality
Bluecrop Mid Season Large 9 Upright Good Firm, slightly aromatic, most popular
Berkeley Mid Season V Large 8 Spreading Mild Firm, good for storage
Concord Mid Season Small 6 Upright/Spreading Excellent Soft, slightly aromatic, good dessert
quality
Pioneer Mid Season Medium 6 Spreading Very Good Firm, aromatic, high dessert quality
Atlantic Late Mid Large 7 Very Spreading Very Good Firm, slightly aromatic, medium dessert
quality
Herbert Late Mid V Large 7 Very Spreading Excellent Soft aromatic, very high dessert quality
Legacy Late Mid Large 8 Upright/Spreading Excellent Firm, sweet, aromatic, stores well
Dixi Late Large 6 Very Spreading Very Good Firm, aromatic, high dessert quality
Elizabeth Late Large 8 Very Spreading Excellent Slightly acidic, aromatic, very high
dessert quality
Darrow Late V Large 8 Upright Excellent Firm, slightly acidic, high dessert quality
Wareham Late Medium 6 Spreading Excellent Soft, aromatic, good dessert quality
Tophat Late Medium 7 Dwaft patio type Fair Firm, 2’ tall, no pollinator needed, baking
Coville Late Large 7 Very Spreading Very Good Firm, highly aromatic, tart, very high
dessert quality
Bluegold Late Medium 8 Upright/Spreading Excellent Medium, firmness, productive, winter
hardy
Jersey Very Late Medium 6 Upright Good Classic taste, stores well
Late Blue Very Late Small 8 Upright Very Good Firm, strong flavor
Elliott Very Late Medium 8 Upright Mild Firm, reddish wood, good dessert quality

We thank Dr. Mark Ehlenfeldt, USDA–ARS, for his technical review, comments, and suggestions in this fact sheet.

© 2005 by Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension, (NJAES,) Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Desktop publishing by Rutgers–Cook College Resource Center Revised: January 2005

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