Blueberry Elliott - Vaccinium corymbosum

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Elliott' is a late variety of Blueberry that produces medium to large, easy to pick, and excellent tasting blue fruits. With high productivity and good storage ability, its concentrated harvest in September makes it a particularly interesting variety. Originating from North America, this vigorous and robust shrub has a dense and upright silhouette, reaching a height of 2 metres, with dense and branching vegetation. In May-June, it is adorned with attractive white bell-shaped flowers, loved by bees, and then produces round berries with an enticing bluish hue once they are ripe in September. As autumn approaches, its leaves take on flamboyant colours before falling for the winter. A single plant of this variety is self-fertile for a satisfactory harvest, but for increased yield, plant other varieties nearby.

The Blueberry bush, in Latin Vaccinium corymbosum, belongs to the Ericaceae family, just like Red Cranberries, heathers, and rhododendrons. The blueberry bush, also known as American Blueberry, Highbush Blueberry, Giant Blueberry, or simply Blueberry, is native to North America, where it grows naturally in acidic, moist, sandy, or peaty soils, along lakes and rivers, in heathlands, woodlands, and mountain meadows, up to 1600 m altitude. It is this species that is cultivated in Europe, available in a large number of cultivars selected for the quality and quantity of their fruits. This extremely cold-hardy (up to -30°C), deciduous shrub loses its leaves in autumn, cannot tolerate limestone at all and requires very acidic soil (pH 4 to 5.5).

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Elliott' forms a bushy, dense shrub reaching a height of 1.60 to 2 m and a spread of 1.20 to 1.70 m. Like most Blueberry bushes, its growth is relatively slow. The foliage consists of medium green elliptical and pointed leaves, measuring 6 to 7 cm long and about 3 cm wide. In autumn, they take on beautiful colours ranging from scarlet red to yellow, before falling. The branches also display lovely winter colours in shades of red. In May, pinkish-white bell-shaped flowers, measuring 0.5 to 1 cm in length appear in pendulous clusters 2 to 5 cm long at the ends of the stems. They are attractive to bees and pollinating insects. They are followed by numerous medium to large clusters of round fruits, measuring 10 to 15 mm in diameter, bluish to purplish-blue and covered with a slight whitish bloom. The berries contain firm and juicy translucent yellowish pulp, along with the seeds. The 'Elliott' variety is self-fertile, it does not require a companion to bear fruit, but the presence of another variety of blueberry bush nearby, such as 'Blue Crop', 'Goldtraube', 'Ivanhoe', or 'Legacy', will increase the yield.

The Elliott blueberries ripen between late August and late September, over a relatively short period, which offers the advantage of grouped harvests. The blueberries should be picked when fully ripe, when they are dark blue, as they are then sweet and tangy, juicy and flavourful. They are delicate fruits that need to be carefully picked, and a light water wash is possible. They keep better in the refrigerator. Harvesting is easy, and the fruits can be eaten on the spot or picked for various culinary uses: jellies, jams, sorbets, coulis, syrups, juices, liqueurs, crumbles, muffins... not to mention the famous blueberry pies. Blueberries are low in calories but rich in minerals (manganese, potassium, magnesium, iron), vitamin C and K, fibre, and antioxidants, to contribute to a balanced diet.

Elliott is hardy down to -30°C, and thrives in slightly acidic to acidic soil, with a preference for fertile, well-drained, moist soil, without limestone. Once established, it quickly becomes a magnificent ornamental plant for your garden. Avoiding overly sunny exposures, it can be grown with other fruit trees to create an edible hedge, such as May berries (Lonicera kamchatka), raspberries, blueberry bushes, garden blackberries, redcurrant bushes, or blackcurrant bushes. These plants are vigorous and undemanding, making them perfectly suited for a natural garden. In ornamental gardens, the Elliott blueberry will blend beautifully with ericaceous shrubs, adding colour to the foliage and duration to its flowering and fruiting.