Varieties of Polaris Blueberry Plants

Appearance

• This northern blueberry plant is upright and wide-spreading and reaches three to four feet in height at its maturity. The Polaris blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum 'Polaris') is a bushy plant, with many branches, and is considered to be compact and sturdy. The foliage is a vibrant green during spring and turns red in fall. This plant is considered to be stout and hardy compared with other varieties. Polaris suffers less dieback (in which parts of a plant die from the tip inward during certain environmental conditions) from freezing temperatures than other types of blueberry plants.

Berries

• Polaris is a variety of Vaccinium corymbosum, the North American highbush blueberry. The berries of Polaris are light powder-blue, sometimes perceived as looking metallic, like aluminum. Polaris yields a heavier load of berries than other blueberry varieties, producing three to seven pounds of berries per plant, per year. The berries are firm and medium-sized. They are quite aromatic and sweet-tasting, according to Backyard Berry Plants, due to the high proportion of wild blueberries in the plant's heritage.

Caretaking

• According to the University of Minnesota Extension, Polaris berries begin ripening earlier in the blueberry season (mid-July) than other varieties of the species. Polaris is not self-fruitful (meaning it can't pollinate itself) and should be planted with other varieties of blueberry. When Polaris is planted with one or more other varieties, the berry crop is larger and the individual berries are larger, as well. Polaris grows well in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 7.