Vaccinium corymbosum

Latin name: Vaccinium corymbosum
Common name: Highbush Blueberry ‘Jubilee’
Flowers: White but inconspicuous¹⁶
Fruit: Small blue berries¹⁶
Height & Width: 5’ x 5’¹²
Type: Deciduous shrub¹²
Habit: Shrub¹²
Wetland indicator category**: FACW¹⁷
Texture: Medium¹⁶
Growth rate: Moderate¹⁶
Light: Full sun to part shade¹²
Moisture: Medium¹⁶
Soil*: Medium, 4.7 – 7.5 pH¹²
Zones: 5-9¹²
Origin: Eastern United States¹⁶

Features: The Jubilee cultivar is a deciduous shrub that typically grows to about five feet high in moister areas will begin blooming early May with small white flowers. Edible blueberries will soon follow throughout the summer months that will attract students and wildlife alike. The leaves change to a red-purple during the fall and finally the stems turning red during the winter provides year round interest¹². The ‘Jubilee’ cultivar is noted as being able to handle colder climates than most other blueberries¹⁶.

Siting: Highbush blueberry typically prefers medium to wet soils and is not drought tolerant. It is adapted to fine, medium, or coarse soils that have a pH range of 4.7 – 7.5. It should be planted in full sun although part shade is acceptable. This species likes to have room to bush out so it is not recommended that it be used as a hedging plant¹⁶.

Care: Plant crown at soil level¹⁸. At planting, water the roots and surrounding area slowly and deeply. Keep soil moist until plant is established, then apply enough water to thoroughly moisten the root zone when the soil is dry or during drought. Modify water recommendations to reflect site drainage and rainfall. Apply 3” of mulch over the planted area. Do not allow mulch to touch the plant stems¹⁸.

Pests: Plants are relatively pest resistant if cultural preferences are met. Root rot or stem blight are infrequent diseases that can occur¹².

This plant does not appear on the following invasive plant lists on (10/17/12):

x USDA SC Invasive Plant Species Web site at http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/main.shtml 

x SC Exotic Plant Pest Council Web site at http://www.se-eppc.org/southcarolina/ 

Sources:

1. Armitage, A. (2001). Armitage’s manual of annuals, biennials, and half-hardy perennials. Portland, OR: Timber Press.
2. Armitage, A. (2006). Armitage’s native plants for North American gardens. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.
3. Armitage, A. (2008). Herbaceous perennial plants: A treatise on their identification, culture, and garden attributes.Athens, GA: University of Georgia.
4. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.(2011). Flowers fact sheets. Retrieved from https://hgic.clemson.edu/category/flowers/
5. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.(2011). Groundcovers & vines fact sheets.Retrieved from https://hgic.clemson.edu/category/groundcovers/
6. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.(2011). Trees. Retrieved from https://hgic.clemson.edu/category/trees/
7. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.(2011). Shrubs. Retrieved from https://hgic.clemson.edu/category/shrubs/
8. Dirr, M. A. (2009). Manual of woody landscape plants. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.
9. Gilman, E. F. (1997). Trees for urban and suburban landscapes. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers.
10. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center University of Texas at Austin. (2012). Native plant information network. Retrieved from http://www.wildflower.org/explore/
11. McMillan, P., Plant taxonomist Clemson University, personal communication.
12. Missouri Botanical Garden Kemper Center for Home Gardening. Plant finder. Retrieved from http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Alpha.asp
13. North Carolina State University (2005). Plant fact sheets. Retrieved from http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/index.html
14. Strother, E. V., Ham, D. L., Gilland, L. (2003) Urban tree species guide: Choosing the right tree for the right place.  Columbia, SC: South Carolina Forestry Commission.
15. University of Florida, IFAS Extension. (2011). Southern trees fact sheet. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/department_envhort-trees
16. USDA . Plant profile. (n/d).Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/java/
17. USDA. Plant wetland indicator status. (n/d). Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/wetland.html
18. Vincent, E., Environmental horticulturist Clemson University, personal communication.
19. Clemson Extension. Carolina Yards Plant Database. Retrieved from https://www.clemson.edu/extension/carolinayards/plant-database/index.html
20. Habitat Avengers Featured Native Plant: Ilex verticillata https://bugwoodcloud.org/CDN/sceppc/publications/WinterberryArticleSCNLA.pdf

*Soil pH is determined using a professional soil test. Contact your Clemson University County Extension service for assistance www.clemson.edu/extension/. Click on “local offices”.

**2012 Plant Wetland Indicator categories (quantitative derived) http://plants.usda.gov/wetinfo.html