Michigan Blueberry Plants

'Bluetta'

• "Bluetta" blueberries ripen early in the season, producing a medium-sized berry that's dark blue and tangy. The plant grows about 4 feet and shows some resistance to short-lived spring frosts. The Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station recommends this cultivar for the northern part of the state and says this is a good fruit for fresh consumption.

'Rubel'

• A midseason cultivar, "Rubel" also grows with an upright and open habit that requires some pruning. Although this blueberry type is simple to propagate and a hardy plant, it is susceptible to an array of diseases that might cut its life short. Mummyberry and necrotic ringspot are among the problems to which it succumbs. A healthy plant produces small, firm, not very dark berries in midseason.

'Spartan'

• "Spartan" is a highbush blueberry. Highbush plants produce most of the blueberries you find in the store and pick-your-own farms. These bushes are usually upright and grow to at least 6 feet, with fruit that matures from late spring to late summer. The "Spartan" variety produces a large berry that the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture also describes as "very firm," "light blue" and "highly flavored."

'Jersey'

• The University of Michigan calls "Jersey" blueberries one of the backbones of the state's commercial blueberry production. This is a late-season variety that large-scale growers usually harvest mechanically, but it's also available at pick-your-own-berry farms. "Jersey" berries grow in north and south Michigan and develop a light blue color when mature. The Michigan Agricultural Experiment station describes this blueberry as medium-sized and of fair flavor. While your "Jersey" bush might resist mummyberry and red ringspot, it's likely to fall prey to shoestring disease.