What Is a Highbush Blueberry?

Geography and Growing Conditions

• The highbush blueberry in the wild grows in swampy areas, bogs and in low-lying spots. Its range extends from southern Canadian provinces in the eastern part of the continent south through Georgia. The distribution goes west into Texas and Oklahoma and as far north as Midwest states like Wisconsin. The ideal growing conditions for the highbush blueberry feature damp, organically enriched soil with an acidic pH level between 4.8 and 5.2, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. The roots of this shrub are shallow, making good drainage in the ground where you plant it a necessity.

Size and Features

• Most forms of the highbush blueberry grow between 5 and 8 feet high, with the largest specimens sometimes as big as 12 feet. The highbush blueberry features many stems, dark green deciduous foliage and grayish-brown bark on the older growth. The shrub flowers during May, with the blooms appearing whitish-pink and often showy, according to the University of Connecticut Plant Database. The fruit, as wide as half an inch, is black-blue and tasty. The fall foliage is an asset to the landscape, with the leaves changing to shades of red, purple, orange and yellow.

Types

• Most cultivated blueberries on the market come from cultivars of the highbush blueberry, notes the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region." Among the cultivars available for landscaping are Bluecrop, known for its profuse fruiting ability and tolerance to drought. Blueray's foliage turns red in autumn, while the Jersey form of the highbush blueberry has hardiness toward cold weather. The North Blue variety grows only to 3 feet, making it suitable for smaller areas. Patriot, Ivanhoe, Chandler, Thunderlake, Northland, Atlantic and Herbert are other cultivars of this plant.

Uses

• The foliage, flowers, fruit and winter color provided by its reddish stems give the highbush blueberry multiple ornamental aspects for the landscape. Azaleas and rhododendrons are often companion plants of this blueberry shrub, since all three grow best in acidic soil. Highbush blueberry plants form an effective hedge, and landscapers also employ these plants in shrub borders and along the edges of ponds. The fruit provides meals for many animals and birds, in addition to being edible for people.