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Vaccinium corymbosum Linnaeus. Common name: Smooth Highbush Blueberry. Phenology: May; Aug. Habitat: Bogs, wet swamp forests, moist high elevation bogs, balds, and forests. Distribution: NS west to MI, south to WV, OH, and IN, south in the Appalachians (and rarely on Piedmont monadnocks) to n. VA and in the Coastal Plain to Panhandle and ne. FL.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: See the end of the genus treatment for discussion of taxonomic controversy involving this species and its allies. Note that this treatment recognizes 2 species (V. formosum and V. caesariense) included within V. corymbosum by RAB and some other authors. V. formosum is the common "corymbosum" type blueberry of the Coastal Plain. V. corymbosum is tetraploid (Redpath et al. 2022); V. constablaei A. Gray (misapplied to V. simulatum by RAB) is correctly applied to hexaploid plants of the high elevation Blue Ridge of NC and TN, especially on heath balds and grassy balds. Camp (1945) considered V. constablaei to be an allopolyploid derivative of V. simulatum and V. altomontanum (itself a tetraploid apparently related to diploid V. pallidum, and of uncertain derivation). The appropriate taxonomic treatment of these plants is unclear; they are apparently not reliably identifiable based on morphology.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Can, Il, K4, NE, Va, Camp (1945), Uttal (1987); = Cyanococcus corymbosus (L.) Rydb. — S; < Vaccinium constablaei A.Gray — G, Camp (1945); < Vaccinium corymbosum L. — C, FNA8, G, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Tn, W, Luteyn et al (1996), Redpath et al (2022), Vander Kloet (1988); > Vaccinium corymbosum L. var. albiflorum (Hook.) Fernald — F; > Vaccinium corymbosum L. var. corymbosum — F, Mi, WV; > Vaccinium corymbosum L. var. glabrum Gray — F, WV; Vaccinium corymbosum L. Basionym: Vaccinium corymbosum L. 1753

Links to other floras: < Vaccinium corymbosum - FNA8

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Great Plains: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 5

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image of plant© Bruce Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

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Height: 15 ft

plant sale text: Highbush Blueberry commonly are grown for consumption and sale in grocery stores and farmers' markets. However, most growers use cultivars that produce more and larger fruit. Cultivar breeding has resulted in a loss of flavor relative to the wild variety. Highbush Blueberry has a striking fall color, as it turns a variety of shades of reds and oranges. Though it is primarily found in constantly moist soils in the wild, it will do well in average soils if given some extra attention during stressful times. It's a beautiful edible and native plant to add to your garden.

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native range: eastern North America



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