The Varieties of Blueberries in New Hampshire

Wild Blueberry Species

• Two species of wild blueberries are native to New Hampshire, occurring in undeveloped areas statewide. Vaccinium augustifolium, called "low sweet," and vaccinium myrilloides, known as "sour top," can be picked wild along roadsides and in woods. The fruit of wild blueberry plants is smaller than that of commercial varieties, with greater variation in taste and appearance.

Commercial Blueberry Varieties

• Some blueberry varieties have been developed for commercial use due to their hardiness, flavor and high fruit yield. Species such as the Bluetta, Nelson, Chandler, Bluecrop and Duke resist disease and yield large, sweet fruit suitable for eating and cooking. Planted in springtime, blueberries are available through early fall and can be purchased or picked from a variety of local farms throughout the state.

Blueberries for the Home Garden

• Although blueberry varieties intended for commercial use can also be grown in home gardens, others, such as the Blue Jay, Spartan and St. Cloud, are intended for non-commercial cultivation. These varieties have a smaller fruit yield and may vary in flavor, but can be grown in smaller gardens for use in cooking and canning. Garden-type blueberry varieties such as the St. Cloud may also be more susceptible to disease than the hardier commercial types.

New Varieties

• New varieties of blueberries have been created by crossing existing species. These "new releases" -- such as Hannah's Choice, LIttle Giant, Aurora and Liberty -- have not been completely evaluated for susceptibility to disease, hardiness and quality, but are available for commercial and home garden use; they can be purchased from greenhouses and growers for planting throughout the growing season.