Selecting the Right Blueberry Bush for Your Garden
I want you to close your eyes and picture yourself on a summer morning. The sun is warm, the air dewy and you've stepped outside to pick a bowl of blueberries to make muffins or pancakes or sprinkle over your oatmeal. Imagine that – picking blueberries for breakfast in your PJs and bare feet! What a wonderful way to start to the day.
The good news is that it isn't hard to make this a reality. Blueberry shrubs are easy to grow and there is a type suitable for about any climate or garden space. In fact, you don't even need a garden because there are dwarf varieties that will thrive in containers.
When selecting a blueberry shrub for your garden there are a few characteristics to consider.
Pollination and Blueberries
Some blueberries require a companion blueberry for pollination to produce berries. This means you need to plant two of the same type-Highbush, Rabbiteye or Lowbush. Other blueberries are self pollinating so you can plant one shrub and expect a good amount of berries.
Mature Size of Blueberry Shrubs
Blueberries come in all shapes and sizes from 6 foot bushes to 2 foot groundcovers. If you have a small garden you don't want to plant a shrub that takes up too much space nor do you want to plant a petite grower in a large garden that will be dwarfed by the surrounding landscape.
Chilling Time for Blueberries
Blueberries require a certain amount of "chilling time" to produce fruits. Northern Highbush, Half-High and Lowbush blueberries are best suited for climates where winters are long and cold. Rabbiteye blueberries hail from the southeastern U.S. so will thrive in zones 7-9. Southern Highbush blueberries need even less chilling time and will thrive as far south as zone 10.
| Name | Hardiness Zones | Suitable for Warm Climates | Height | Self-Pollinating |
| Top Hat (Lowbush) | 3-7 | Yes | 16-24 inches | Yes |
| Sunshine Blue* (southern Highbush) | 5-10 | Yes | 36-48 inches | Yes, but performs better with a pollinator. |
| Duke* (Northern Highbush) | 4-7 | No | 48-72 inches | No |
| Bluecrop* (Northern Highbush) | 4-7 | No | 48-72 inches | No |
| Jersey* | 3-8 | Yes | 48-72 inches | No |
| O'Neal* | 5-9 | Yes | 48-72 inches | No |
| Misty Blue* (Southern Highbush) | 5-10 | Yes | 48-72 inches | No |
| Northsky (Half-high) | 3-7 | No | 12-16 inches | No |
* Part of the P. Allen Smith Edibles Collection