PlantsFruits & Berries
Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
Chicago-region native. Suited to zone 6a.
Edible fruiting shrub for acidic soil
AdvancedFruits & BerriesAlso Shrubs & VinesAlso Rain GardenAlso SpecialtyEdibleRain garden
- Light
- Full sun–part shade
- Moisture
- Acidic, moist–well-drained
- Mature size
- 6–10 ft
- Spacing
- 6–10 ft
- Bloom or harvest
- Flowers May; fruit Jul–Aug
- How it spreads
- Upright shrub
- What to buy
- Container or balled-and-burlapped; bare-root in early spring.
- When to plant
- Early Apr–May after soil thaws and drains; Sep–mid Oct for container/B&B. Bare-root: early spring.
In the design
Use two compatible plants for better yield; dedicate an acidic bed.
If you eat it
Ripe blueberries
Only grow in reliably acidic soil
Only eat what you planted and can name. This is not a foraging or medical guide.
