When Are Wild Blueberries Ripe?

Variety

• According to the "Foraging for Edible Wild Plants: A Field Guide to Wild Berries," there are hundreds of blueberry bush varieties. Before you pluck a handful of berries in the wild, be sure to identify the variety. While the high bush varieties are most common in Maine, much of New England and California, it's important to learn how to identify wild blueberry varieties, when they bloom and how often they produce fruit.

Color

• Select plump, full blueberries with a light gray-blue color. Avoid any wild blueberries with white or red coloration. Unlike bananas which can ripen off the bush, blueberries will not. However, color can vary with variety. Ivanhoe high-bush varieties have a dark, blue color. In contrast, earliblue, has a light blue color that ripens earlier in the season.

Leaves

• Look for wild blueberry bushes with healthy, dark green or purple/green leaves in summer and yellowish/red in fall. Blueberry bushes thrive in acidic soil conditions. If the bushes' leaves are yellow mid-season, it could mean that soil conditions are less than optimal and berry flavor might be compromised. Search for the best, healthiest blueberry bushes that grow in direct sunlight. Additionally, Mother Earth News recommends you seek out wild blueberry bushes that grow in direct sunlight, away from trails and bush peripheries.

Ease of Picking

• Like concord grapes, wild blueberries grow in clusters. When fully ripened, they should pluck off the bush with a gentle tug. Although color is generally an indicator of ripeness, some wild blueberry varieties such as Coville, a high-bush variety can be left on the bush for a long time, even when they reach optimal color. Other than knowing the wild blueberry variety, if the berry plucks with minimal tug, it's a sign of ripeness.