Vaccinium corymbosum Hardyblue - blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Hardyblue' is highly prized for its sweet and juicy, low-acid fruits and high yield. This vigorous, dense and upright North American, shrub has abundant and branching vegetation. In May, it produces attractive white bell-shaped flowers that are loved by bees, followed by round berries, bluish when ripe in August. In autumn, its leaves take on magnificent fiery hues before falling. This variety is self-fertile and a single plant will produce a satisfactory harvest, but for increased yield, plant other varieties of blueberries nearby. It is easy to grow, and resistant to diseases and cold temperatures. Plant it in autumn in moist, fertile, and slightly acidic soil, preferably in a shaded location.

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, Corymb Blueberry, Giant Blueberry, or 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 alpine 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 shrub is extremely cold-hardy (up to -30°C) with deciduous foliage, which falls in autumn, cannot tolerate limestone at all and requires a very acidic soil (pH 4 to 5.5).

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Hardyblue' forms a bushy, dense shrub reaching 1.50 to 1.80 m high with a spread of 1 to 1.20 m. Like most blueberries, 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 shades ranging from scarlet red to yellow, before falling. As an additional attraction, the branches take on lovely winter colours in shades of red. In May, the flowers appear as white bell-shaped, 0.5 to 1 cm long blossoms in 2 to 5 cm long, pendulous clusters at the ends of the stems. They are attractive to bees and pollinating insects in the garden. This is followed by the formation of numerous clusters of round, medium to large, 10 to 15 mm diameter, bluish-purple fruits covered with a light whitish bloom. The berries contain firm and juicy translucent yellowish pulp, containing the seeds. The 'Hardyblue' variety is self-fertile, it does not need a companion to bear fruit, but another variety of blueberry nearby, such as 'Blue Crop', 'Ivanohe', 'Legacy', 'Spartan', will increase production.

The harvest of Hardyblue blueberries begins in late July and continues until early September, giving the advantage of staggered harvesting. Blueberries should be picked when fully ripe, when they are dark blue, they are then sweet and tangy, juicy and flavourful. They are delicate fruits that must be carefully picked, and washed. They keep better in the refrigerator. Harvesting is easy, and it is very enjoyable to eat the fruits on the spot or to keep them 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.

American Hardyblue Blueberry is hardy to -30°C and thrives in a slightly acidic to acidic soil, with a preference for fertile, well-drained, moist soils, without limestone. Once established, it quickly becomes a magnificent ornamentalal plant for your garden. Avoiding overly sunny exposures, it can be grown with other fruit trees to create a gourmet hedge, such as May Berry (Lonicera kamchatka), raspberries, blueberries, garden blackberries, red currants, or blackcurrants. These plants are vigorous and undemanding, making them perfectly suited for a natural garden. In ornamental gardens, Hardyblue blueberry will blend beautifully with ericaceous shrubs, adding colour to the foliage as well as intensity and duration to flowering and fruiting.