VACCINIUM

Excellent ornamental shrubs with clusters of small, bell-shaped spring flowers and colorful, edible fruit that attracts birds. Species described here are shrubs ranging from ground covers to the height of a small treethat are grown for decorative, landscaping use; see Blueberry for relatives grown primarily for their edible fruit. All require rich, organic, acid soil. Good for woodland gardens.

sparkleberry, farkleberry

vaccinium arboreum

• Evergreen or deciduous, depending on winter cold.
• Zones MS, LS, CS; USDA 7-9.
• Native to the South and to southeastern and eastern Texas.
• Spreading plant to 1025 feet tall and about as wide, with shiny, dark green leaves to 2 inches long; leaves turn rich red and crimson in fall and persist through most of the winter.
• Fragrant white flowers; unpalatable, 14 inches black berries.
• Older shrubs have beautiful, exfoliating cinnamon-brown to gray-orange bark.
• Full sun or partial shade.
• Needs only moderate water.

creeping blueberry

vaccinium ashei

• See Blueberry

vaccinium corymbosum

• See Blueberry

vaccinium crassifolium

• Evergreen.
• Zones MS, LS; USDA 7-8.
• Native from southeast Virginia to South Carolina.
• Sprawling ground cover to 6 inches tall and 6 feet across, with leathery, dark green leaves just 12 inches long.
• Rosy red flowers in late spring; sweet, black berries to 12 inches across.
• Bloodstone has reddish new and mature leaves, red stems in winter.
• Wells Delight is particularly broad spreading and disease tolerant.
• Full sun or partial shade; regular water.

darrow's blueberry

vaccinium darrowii

• Evergreen.
• Zones LS, CS; USDA 8-9.
• Native to Florida, Georgia, Alabama.
• Grows to 2 feet tall in the wild, but can reach 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide in garden conditions.
• Very small blue-green leaves; pinkish new growth.
• White flowers are followed by small, sweet, black berries with a bluish bloom.
• Two named selections are 'John Blue' and 'Sebring'.
• Full sun; little to regular water.

elliott's blueberry

vaccinium elliottii

• Deciduous.
• Zones US, MS, LS, CS; USDA 6-9.
• Native from Florida to Virginia, west to Arkansas and Louisiana.
• Clump-forming, straggly shrub of variable size; grows from 6 to 13 feet tall and about 6 feet wide.
• Shiny, thin-textured green leaves to 112 inches long.
• Pink to white flowers often appear before leaf-out; dark purple-blue or black berries are less than 12 inches wide.
• Full sun or partial shade; moderate to regular water.

cranberry

vaccinium macrocarpon

• Evergreen.
• Zones US, MS; USDA 6-7.
• Native from Newfoundland to Minnesota, south to North Carolina.
• Creeping plant 26 inches high, spreading indefinitely by rooting stems.
• Narrow, 34 inches-long leaves are dark green in summer, turning coppery or purplish red in winter.
• Tiny pinkish flowers are followed by tart red fruit to 34 inches across in autumn.
• Commercial producers grow cranberries in bogsbeds that can be flooded to control weeds and pests, provide winter protection, and make harvesting easier.
• Gardeners can use cranberry as an attractive small-scale ground cover in full sun, with regular to ample water.

ground blueberry

vaccinium myrsinites

• Evergreen.
• Zones MS, LS, CS, TS; USDA 7-11.
• Native from Virginia to Florida and Louisiana.
• To 2 feet tall, more sprawling than erect.
• White to pink flowers; tiny blue-black or black berries.
• Full sun; moderate to ample water.

deerberry

vaccinium stamineum

• Deciduous.
• Zones US, MS, LS, CS; USDA 6-9.
• Native to eastern North America.
• Open, airy growth to a possible 1015 feet high and wide, although many mature specimens are half that size or even smaller.
• Twisted trunks and branches; peeling, reddish brown bark.
• Oval leaves to 3 inches long are green above, whitish underneath; they turn red and orange in autumn.
• Clustered white flowers have prominent yellow stamens and flaring petals.
• Purplish berries less than 12 inches across are edible but not always sweet.
• Full sun or partial shade; moderate to regular water.