Vaccinium corymbosum Berkeley
Vaccinium corymbosum Berkeley
Vaccinium corymbosum Berkeley
American Blueberry, Highbush Blueberry, Swamp Blueberry, Tall Huckleberry
A lovely variety of blueberry bushes. These seem healthy, although the foliage was already quite colorful for September and quickly fell off afterward. They must have suffered from the heat and drought this summer, as my other blueberry bushes, which have been planted for several months, are still quite green. I look forward to seeing them thrive again in a few months.
Joel, 10/10/2025
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Description
Vaccinium corymbosum 'Berkeley' is a good variety of blueberry producing large sweet fruits. This mid-season variety produces tasty sweet fruits that ripen in July-August. It forms a vigorous bush that produces pretty little flowers in May-June and its foliage turns beautiful red colours in autumn. Resistant to cold, it is relatively easy to grow in non-calcareous soil and requires little maintenance. Even though this variety is self-fertile, fruiting is even more abundant if another variety is planted nearby.
The Blueberry bush belongs to the Ericaceae family, mainly known in the garden for its many ornamental genera. Vaccinium corymbosum, native to North America, is the one cultivated in gardens for its abundance and quality of fruiting. It is an extremely cold-resistant bush with deciduous foliage that falls in autumn. It is grown in very acidic soil (does not tolerate limestone), in a semi-shaded exposure, for example in the morning sun.
The 'Berkeley' variety is quite old, but still a reliable choice. It forms a dense bush with a semi-erect and spreading habit, reaching generally 1.8m (6ft), even 2m (7ft) tall and 1.3 to 1.5m (4 to 5ft) wide. The foliage consists of fairly dark green elliptical and pointed leaves. Its arching branches take on sumptuous autumn colours in shades of red, capable of rivalling many purely ornamental plants. Flowering occurs in May-June, in the form of small white bell-shaped flowers grouped in pendulous clusters at the ends of the stems. The flowers then develop into somewhat flattened, fairly large, light blue pruinose berries, about 1.5cm (1in) in diameter.
Blueberries are low in calories but high in nutritional value: they are rich in vitamins A, B, and C, calcium, and iron. They contain pigments (anthocyanins) that improve night vision. Sweet and delicious to eat fresh, these blueberries have relatively thin skin that encourages consumption in delicious pies or muffins, as well as jams or jellies. The fruit can be stored for about ten days after picking and can be frozen for longer preservation.
The 'Berkeley' Blueberry bush can be planted in a group with other varieties of Blueberry bushes if you want to ensure abundant harvests, but you can also create an area of small fruits with other bushes with similar needs. You can thus succumb to the delicious taste of the many varieties of Raspberry bushes available on the market. Or, integrate your blueberry bush into a bed of purely decorative ericaceous plants. For example, Andromeda polifolia 'Compacta', a miniature bush with beautiful pink bells from April to June, will be perfect at the edge of the bed at the foot of 'Berkeley'. Its glaucous foliage will create a beautiful effect in autumn when our blueberry bush turns bright red!
Vaccinium corymbosum Berkeley in pictures
Plant habit
Fruit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Vaccinium
corymbosum
Berkeley
Ericaceae
American Blueberry, Highbush Blueberry, Swamp Blueberry, Tall Huckleberry
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
Plant ideally in autumn or throughout the year, avoiding frost and heat waves. This bush should be planted in a sunny (not scorching) location in cool regions and strictly in partial shade in hot climates. If you plant multiple plants, space them 1.2m (4ft) apart in all directions. This blueberry bush is very hardy (-20°C (-4°F) and below for the plant, but -5°C (23°F) for the flowers) and has a particularly long lifespan.
Plant it in acidic soil, by incorporating pure ericaceous soil into the existing soil with well-decomposed bark compost. The collar (the junction between the trunk and the roots) should be level with the ground. Firmly pack and water generously with non-limestone water. In slightly limestone soil, dig a hole 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in) deep, line the edges with garden felt, place a non-limestone gravel layer 10cm (4in) thick at the bottom, then fill with a mixture of compost and ericaceous soil.
The soil should remain moist, but not waterlogged: the plant tolerates moderate drought and fears stagnant moisture. If watering is necessary, it should be done with non-limestone and non-chlorinated water (for example, collected rainwater). Mulch the base with crushed bark, straw, or fern leaves. It is sometimes useful to place a protective net over the bush if birds become too greedy during harvest. Annually apply a little well-rotted compost on the surface in spring. The blueberry bush is not very susceptible to diseases and pests.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.