Highbush Blueberry

Highbush blueberry is the shrub that produces the blueberries you buy at the grocery store, and in Western Washington, it grows so well that every garden should have at least one. The white, urn-shaped flowers in spring are pretty, the fruit in July and August is delicious, and the fall color, orange, red, and scarlet, is among the best of any fruiting shrub. It grows four to eight feet with an upright, multi-stemmed habit. Native to eastern North America, from Maine to Florida, but perfectly adapted to our climate and soil.

Western Washington is blueberry country. The acidic, moist, well-drained soil that characterizes most residential sites in the Puget Sound lowlands is exactly what blueberries want. Full sun produces the best fruit. Plant at least two different cultivars for cross-pollination. 'Bluecrop' is the standard mid-season variety. 'Duke' is an excellent early. 'Elliott' extends the season late. Mulch with acidic organic material, keep moisture consistent through fruit development, and net the berries against birds. Several diseases and pests are tracked, including mummy berry and spotted wing drosophila. For a fruiting shrub that provides spring flowers, summer berries, and fall color in the conditions your yard already provides, blueberry is the most rewarding edible plant you can grow in this region.