Information on Northern Blueberry Bushes

Types

• Northern blueberry bush varieties include the shorter Patriot, St. Cloud and Bluegold varieties. Common full-sized varieties include the Blueray, Jersey and Bluecrop.

Features

• Northern highbush blueberry shrubs have simple, dark green leaves that turn red in the autumn. These bushes bear small, white, bell-shaped flowers that bloom from February to June.

Fruit

• Northern blueberry bushes produce blue-black berries that contain hundreds of tiny seeds. This kind of blueberry shrub is commonly used in commercial blueberry production.

Size

• Northern blueberry bushes generally grow to heights ranging from 6 feet to 12 feet. Leaf size ranges from 1 inch to 3 1/2 inches long.

Culture

• Northern highbush blueberry shrubs grow best in USDA zones 4 to 8. These bushes thrive in well-drained soils and locations that receive full sun.

Problems

• Northern blueberry bushes are vulnerable to the blueberry maggot, which is the larva of a small fly that feeds on the fruit. They are also susceptible to mummy berry, a fungal disease that shrivels and hardens the fruit.