Item #:804746
Hardy, North American shrub with edible fruits
Small to medium, light-blue, sweet fruits ripen mid-season (typically in mid June-mid July); brilliant, orange-red fall color
Native to the southeastern United States, the Rabbiteye Blueberry is one of three native blueberry species popular for home and commercial fruit production, along with Highbush (V. corymbosum) and Lowbush (V. angustifolium) Blueberries. Named for the pink immature fruits’ similarity to the eyes of a white rabbit, V. virgatum is taller and more drought and heat-tolerant than V. corymbosum and V. angustifolium. While the species was introduced into cultivation in 1770, ‘Tifblue’ was released jointly by the University of Georgia and the USDA in 1955 and is the most widely grown rabbiteye blueberry, noted for the fruits’ ability to cling to the plant until fully ripe, lovely fall color, and good storage qualities.
This plant will ship bare root. Approximately 12” tall.
| Genus | Vaccinium |
|---|---|
| Species | virgatum cv. |
| USDA Zones | 7 - 9 |
| Exposure | Full Sun |
| Habit | Grows 8-14 feet tall; upright and vigorous |
| Culture | Prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soils (ideal range of 4 to 5.5 pH); fruit production is improved when grown with two additional varieties, such as ‘Powderblue’ and ‘Onslow’; 550-650 hours chilling requirement for fruit set |
| Attributes | Edible, Fall color |
