How to Identify a Highbush Blueberry

Look for a shrub with multiple stems, an upright form and an irregular to rounded shape. Highbush blueberry grows between 6 and 12 feet, usually on the smaller side of that range. The shrub is as wide as it is high and in the wild normally is near swampy areas that have highly acidic soils.

Observe the dense foliage on the highbush blueberry shrub. It is elliptical, darker green on the upper surface than on the undersides and has fine hairs on the undersides. The leaves grow to lengths between 1 and 3 1/2 inches and provide a landscape with excellent color in the fall, changing to shades of yellow, purple, red and orange. The leaves lack any serrations around their borders.

Inspect the white flowers of highbush blueberry when they bloom during May. The flowers, shaped like tiny urns, 1/3 inch long. Some may have a pink tint, and all seem to have a waxy appearance.

Examine the bluish-black blueberries that develop from the flowers of the highbush blueberry shrub. These berries ripen during July and into August, growing to sizes between 1/4 and 1/2 inch wide. These berries will grab the attention of the wild birds on your property, as well as both small and large mammals, as they seek to add them to their diets.

Study the bark and stems of the highbush blueberry to help identify it, especially when the leaves are off the bush. The older stems will have a grayish-brown colored bark with thin furrows. The newer shoots in the winter take on a greenish-yellow to red shade, giving them plenty of ornamental value.