Planting Zones for Blueberry Plants

Know Your Planting Zone

• Identify your planting zone by checking your location on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map before selecting your blueberry plants. Choose plants that are suited for your zone. Depending on the zone, you may be able to choose blueberries of more than one type. Plant at least two varieties to allow for cross-pollination and larger fruit yields, while also extending your growing season.

Highbush Blueberries

• Grow highbush blueberries if you live in zones 4 through 8. This is the most common type of blueberry and the one most often grown commercially. Bushes grow up to 6 feet high and produce large berries. There is some variation in hardiness between different varieties of highbush blueberries, so check the individual variety for hardiness in your zone. Popular highbush varieties include Bluecrop, Blueray, and Chandler.

Lowbush Blueberries

• Select lowbush blueberries if you live in the north and want a low-growing plant. These are appropriate for zones 3 through 6. Plants are 1 to 2 feet high and produce small berries. Lowbush blueberries are also known as wild blueberries. They are the best option for the coldest climates. Top Hat, Burgundy, and Brunswick are common lowbush varieties.

Rabbiteye Blueberries

• Choose rabbiteye blueberries if you live in zones 7 through 9. These bushes grow up to 10 feet tall and produce berries that are slightly smaller than highbush blueberries. Rabbiteye blueberries are native to the southeast and grow well in warm climates. Tifblue, Climax, and Woodard are some favorite rabbiteye varieties.

Hybrid Blueberries

• Consider planting hybrid blueberries to combine the best features of two blueberry types. Half-high blueberries are a cross between highbush and lowbush types, allowing for larger berries as far north as zone 3. Southern highbush varieties are highbush and rabbiteye crosses that ripen early and tolerate climates as warm as zone 10.