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plantivorous

Blueberry bush Varieties-"edible landscape"

plantivorous
9 years ago

Hello everyone.

I am doing some research on blueberry varieties. My family and I want to create a type of "edible landscape" hedge for our home. The hedge doesn't have to create complete privacy as it will be in our front yard and serve as a border between our neighbors driveway.

We are looking for a blueberry bush that produces very well, has great fruit flavor, 5 feet+ in height, and if possible evergreen.

I've been having much trouble finding a blue berry variety with our expectations but we are hoping to get at least 3 contenders to choose so to purchase. Any recommended source where to buy them would be great as well.

We appreciate your help.

Thank you very much for your time.

Comments (9)

  • charina
    9 years ago

    Won't happen at your latitude. Too far north to have an evergreen like that.

  • ericwi
    9 years ago

    Northern highbush blueberries turn red in the fall, late November, and December, and then they drop their leaves. The shrub will begin to leaf out in late March, and be fully leafed out in April. You can plant them three feet apart to make a hedge. They will compete with each other, and they will not attain their full height of 6 or 7 feet. However, they will typically be healthy and quite productive, even when closely spaced. Optimum spacing for commercial fruit production is 8 feet.

  • charina
    9 years ago

    I bought bbs from four sources this year. I have no hesitations recommending Burnt Ridge Nursery in WA as a source. Very happy with the plants I received from them. Website navigation isn't the greatest, but the descriptions are better than many.

  • plantivorous
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you for your responses. I have to say that I though there were blueberry varieties that I could plant that could remain evergreen.

    If I have to plant regular blueberry bushes, then I guess it is fine as well. Now my question is, what Blueberry variety should I plant that can grow nice and tall and bushy and produce a large amount of blueberries.

    I would appreciate your time with your suggestions,

    Thank you very much.

    P.S. If I have a sharpblue blueberry that I have planed outdoors, would it die since it is a southern bush blue berry and evergree? I have one I recently planted 2 months ago and it is already producing blueberries...very sweet!

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    9 years ago

    You've got NJ and Orlando listed. The evergreen types are right for FL but they can be defoliated by disease in late summer.

    How cold does it get in NJ if that is your question?

  • drew51 SE MI Z5b/6a
    9 years ago

    What zone are you in? Some SHB/NHB mixes try to keep their leaves, and may stay everygreen in your location. Southmoon and Legacy are rated to zone 6 and both try to hold leaves. But they usually drop them, they are confused plants, being both SHB and NHB crosses.
    Sharpblue is rated to zone 7, If you're in that zone, it may work!
    If you decide to go with NHB, many are pretty good. I like Chandler. It's an aggressive grower, produces very large berries. Most of the NHB I like are for colder zones like mine, 6a/5b. I like Toro, Liberty, Sweetheart, Cara's Choice, Spartan, and Bonus. I have not tried them all, but have been researching for years. I have Chandler, Liberty, Toro, Cara's Choice, Southmoon, and Legacy.
    I wil add the others once I move.

  • plantivorous
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sorry, in in NJ now...have to change that from FL to NJ.
    Well I went to my local lowes and found a couple of blueberry plants all with berries. They are about 2-3 feet tall. They are the variety Misty.

    Does anyone have experience with this variety?

    Thank you

  • Bradybb WA-Zone8
    9 years ago

    I have a Misty and it is a Southern Highbush.It keeps most of the leaves near Seattle,in zone 8,including last Winter when the temps went to about 15F.The berries can get really sweet and plentiful,to overloading the bush,causing some to be small.So some flower or fruit pruning may be needed.
    They will fruit on their own,but another Southern Highbush variety,like Sunshine Blue or Bountiful Blue could help.Those two grow well in the ground for me and also keep most of their leaves. Brady

  • ctc16148
    9 years ago

    Look into Chandler,Duke.both are large,sweet.Chandler being the largest I've ever seen.buy from local nurseries or on line from Stark Bros.they sell potted plants.
    Remember your soil test,peatmoss for acidity,remove blossoms the first year for strong root growth.
    We have (39) BB bushes,adding more each year.